Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

Danielle Boutin: New Hampshire 2021 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary school teacher Danielle Boutin of Nashua, New Hampshire, has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Nashua School District.

Congratulations are due to Danielle Boutin, an elementary school teacher from Nashua, New Hampshire. She has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.

Danielle teaches fifth grade at Ledge Street Elementary School. She works with English language learners and multicultural students. Her career as an educator has spanned 11 years.

“Danielle is an intelligent, caring, and talented educator who knows exactly what it takes to make a difference in the lives of students and families,” expressed Ledge Street Principal Chas Miller. “She is unparalleled in her ability to build strong, positive relationships and Danielle is always looking for new ways to innovate and grow as a teacher,” he continued.

This Chalkboard Champion also works hard to collaborate and advocate for the needs of her students at the school, district, and state level. Throughout her career, she has been an active member of several state ELL advisory committees.

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Danielle strives to build a strong community support network which she can lean on to help her families with a variety of issues, including food and housing insecurity, domestic violence, and trauma.

The honored educator earned her Bachelor’s degree in English and Humanities from the University of New Hampshire, Manchester. She earned her first Master’s degree in Education in Secondary English and a certificate in English Speakers of Other Languages, also from the University of New Hampshire, Manchester. In 2021, she earned a second Master’s degree from American College in Education, in Educational Leadership and Administration.

To learn more about Danielle Boutin, see this article about her published by the New Hampshire State Department of Education.

 

Oregon educator Kim Roberts earns coveted DKG Award

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Oregon educator Kim Roberts has earned the coveted Delta Kappa Gamma 2020 Oregon State Organization Award for Service to Education. Photo credit: DKG, Oregon State Organization.

Students in American schools are so fortunate to be served by so many dedicated and hardworking educators. One of these is Kim Roberts, an award-winning educator from Grant’s Pass, Oregon.

Kim works as a District Autism Consultant for the Three Rivers School District in Grant’s Pass in Josephine County. She provides staff and family members information, resources, and training to support autistic students. She is a liaison for connecting families with community agencies. In addition, she serves on the Traumatic Brain Injury team in her area. Kim has a reputation for being compassionate about her work and mindful that every situation is unique. She is careful to tailor instructional plans to meet each student’s need.

For her work, Kim has garnered the Delta Kappa Gamma 2020 Oregon State Organization Award for Service to Education. Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) is a professional organization whose members work together to improve professional preparation, to recognize women’s work in the teaching profession, and to fund scholarships for teachers who need support to improve their professional skills.

Hawaii’s Lori Miki Kwee named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary school educator Lori Miki Kwee of Hawaii has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Honolulu Star Advertiser

I love to share stories about innovative educators from all over the country. One of these is Lori Miki Kwee, an elementary teacher in Hawaii who has been named her state’s Teacher of the Year.

Lori currently teaches fourth grade at Ala Was Elementary School in Honolulu. Interestingly, her mother was also a teacher at that school. Lori’s career as an educator in public schools has spanned 31 years.

During the pandemic, Lori and her students created a business, which they have named #Sharealoha, to promote kindness and fellowship among others and to raise funds to build a student-designed “peaceful oasis” on the school grounds. For this business, participants created and sell unique Jars of Aloha, #Sharealoha T-shirts, and face masks.

Lori has long invested in programs with her students that attempt to eliminate bullying. Through active inquiry, her students explore forgiveness, compassion, and methods to manage emotions. Her students engage in student-led learning projects based on their interests and curiosities, and they explore how kindness affects health and well-being. For these efforts, Lori was honored by the National Life Group as their National Life Changer for 2018-2019.

In 2017, Lori’s students chose to launch a class project to save the Vaquita porpoise, an endangered species endemic to the Gulf of California. They spent hours writing reports, letters to policy makers, and social media posts in their effort to save the Vaquita porpoise. As a result, their attendance and test scores increased, and they became skilled in their pursuit of information and finding answers to their questions.

Lori earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Hawaii. To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this article published about her in the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

Angel Santiago named New Jersey 2021 Teacher of the Year

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Educator Angel Santiago of Blackwood, New Jersey, has been named his state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Angel Santiago.

Congratulations go to educator Angel Santiago of Blackwood, New Jersey, who has been named his state’s 2021Teacher of the Year. Angel teaches Language Arts to fifth graders at Loring Flemming Elementary School.

Angel says he owes his successes in the classroom to his passion for fostering strong relationships with his students, their families, his colleagues, and the community in which he serves. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Angel is the facilitator of the group Young People of Character (YPOC). This group of fourth and fifth graders, who come from different socio-economic backgrounds, participate in various community service projects to promote teamwork, empathy, and personal growth. Some of the projects the group has been involved in include writing letters to veterans for Veterans Day, cleaning up the school grounds for Earth Day, and volunteering during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. “Community outreach is a great example of how a rural community like mine uses empathy, teamwork, and leadership to teach our students life lessons without using textbooks or assessments, but rather our hands and our hearts,” asserts Angel.

The honored educator has taught his entire professional career in Camden County. In 2012 he began teaching in the Lindenwold Public Schools, and in 2013 he moved to Gloucester Township Public Schools where he continues to teach.

Angel graduated from New Jersey’s Fairleigh Dickinson University. He earned both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Humanities. In addition, he is a member of both Phi Theta Kappa and Kappa Delta Pi Honor Societies.

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this article published online by the New Jersey Education Association.

Rhode Island educator Ashley Adamson earns Teacher of the Year award

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Rhode Island educator Ashley Adamson, who teaches third grade at Hathaway Elementary in Portsmouth, has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: East Bay Rhode Island.

Congratulations are in order for educator Ashley Adamson of Rhode Island, who has been named her state’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Ashley teaches third grade at Hathaway Elementary in Portsmouth.

Ashley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Rhode Island. She has taught in Portsmouth since 2010. She has spent the last six years at Hathaway Elementary since 2015. Her daily lessons consist of small-group, differentiated instruction that derives from assessment data and self-reflection. Lisa Little, Principal of Hathaway, describes Ashely as an outstanding teacher. “Whether interacting with students, communicating with parents, sharing with colleagues, leading or attending professional development activities, she excels at her job,” expressed Little. “Her knowledge of children and how they learn and her genuine love of teaching are extraordinary.”

In addition to her classroom responsibilities, she has served as an instructor for the RICAS Ramp Up Program, as a presenter on social and emotional learning for colleagues, and as a pilot teacher for a new adoption of the English Language Arts curriculum. In addition, she has served as a middle school coach for softball, basketball, and soccer; as a student counselor advisor; and as an advisor for the school robotics group. Her career as an educator has spanned a total of 14 years.

For her work as an educator, Ashley has earned many accolades. In addition to Rhode Island’s 2021 Teacher of the Year, she has been recognized as the 2019 Portsmouth Teacher of the Year; she earned an Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Learning (ECET) Award in 2018; and she garnered Carter Spark Grants in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

To read more about Ashley Adamson, see this article about her published by the Rhode Island Department of Education.