Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

Retired teacher Ruth Rowan serves in the WVa House of Delegates

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Retired elementary school teacher Ruth Rowan works tirelessly as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. Photo credit: Vote Smart.

Many hardworking educators find second careers as politicians. One of these was Ruth Rowan, a retired elementary school teacher from Hampshire County, West Virginia, who also served in her state’s House of Delegates.

Ruth was born on September 12, 1948, in Pennsylvania. Her grandfather was a coal miner. Ruth’s ancestry runs deep in West Virginia. As a descendant of Frontier Ranger Doctor Llewellyn, her earliest forebears blazed a trail in the wilderness near the Forks of Cheat River in present-day Monongalia County, West Virginia.

As a young woman, she earned her Bachelor’s degree from California University of Pennsylvania and her Master’s degree in Education from West Virginia University.

One she earned her education, Ruth taught elementary school in Hampshire County Schools. She also joined the West Virginia Education Association and the National Education Association. In addition, Ruth is a member of the Board of Directors for the West Virginia Children’s Home Society and the Family Crisis Center.

In 2004, Ruth was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates on the Republican ticket. She defeated the embattled House Delegate Jerry Mezzatesta for his seat after he was embroiled in a political scandal in 2003 and 2004. The former teacher has represented the 57th District since December 1, 2004, and her term of office is due to expire in 2022. As a member of the WV House, Ruth works tirelessly on legislation to benefit children, education, seniors, veterans, health care, and infrastructure. She serves on the Education, Health and Human Resources, and the Senior Issues committees. She is the minority chair of Veteran’s Affairs, minority vice chair of women’s caucus, co-chair of Crimes against children and children and families.

To read more about Ruth Rowan, see this information provided by Vote Smart.

Teacher Geraldine Flaharty serves in Kansas House of Reps

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Geraldine Flaharty, a retired elementary teacher from Kansas, serves in her state’s House of Representatives. Photo credit: Public Domain.

Many talented teachers have also served their communities as politicians. One  example of this is Geraldine Flaharty, an elementary reading teacher from Kansas who also serves in her state’s House of Representatives.

A native of Kansas, Geraldine was born March 4, 1936, in Parsons. She currently lives in Wichita. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University in 1961. She completed the requirements for her Master’s in Education from the same school in 1971.

Geraldine worked as an elementary teacher for Wichita Public Schools from 1956 to 1957 and as a reading teacher at Oaklawn Elementary School in the Derby Public School District from 1966. At that time, she retired after teaching after 36 years.

This talented educator was elected as a Democrat to the Kansas State House of Representatives for District 98, serving Sedgwick County, Kansas. She served there from 1995 to 2013. During her stint as a politician, Geraldine served on the committees for Education; Health and Human Services; Aging and Long-Term Care; Economic Development and Tourism; and the Joint Committee on Pensions, Investments, and Benefits. One of her legislative acts was to support a bill that would restore professional status to retired teachers who return to work. “Representative Flaharty has been a tireless advocate for the people of Wichita,” House Minority Leader Paul Davis once said. “She has been a champion for job creation, good public schools, and fair taxation.”

Throughout her long career, Geraldine has donated her talents to a number of community organizations, including the American Association of University Women, the International Reading Association, the Kansas National Education Association, the Sedgwick County Zoo, and the Wichita Center for the Arts. Geraldine Flaharty: a true Chalkboard Champion.

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.