Tag Archives: Elementary Teachers

Teacher Sarah Fain one of Virginia’s first women politicians

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Virginia school teacher Sarah Fain was one of the first two women elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Photo credit: Dictionary of Virginia Biography.

Many talented educators have also earned success in the political realm. One such educator is Sarah Fain, a public school teacher from Virginia who was one of the first two women to be elected to her state’s House of Delegates.

Sarah was born on Nov. 23. 1888, in Norfolk Virginia. She was educated first at Leache-Wood Seminary. She graduated from Hemmingway High School in 19097. Following her high school graduation, Sarah taught for 12 years in elementary schools in the Norfolk public school system. During her summer breaks, she enrolled in summer courses at the University of Virginia. The university did not offer diplomas to women in her day, but still Sarah managed to earn enough credits to qualify as the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Administration.

When World War I broke out, Sarah volunteered for the Norfolk Red Cross, and she sold Liberty bonds to help financially support the war. When the 19th Amendment was ratified, she joined the League of Women voters and became active in Democratic Party politics. In 1923, the former teacher was elected to the House of Delegates becoming one of the two first women to serve in that political body. She served  total of three terms in the House. As a delegate, Sarah focused on issues that were important to her constituents, especially education and maritime laws. During her last term, she chaired the prestigious Committee on Schools and Colleges. In addition, she voted for an anti-lynching bill that was then the strictest in the nation.

During the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sarah was appointed to serve in several New Deal agencies, including the National Emergency Council, where she helped establish the United States Information Service and served as its first chief. She later directed a homestead community project and supervised a rural family resettlement program.

In 1938, Sarah moved to San Marino, California, and continued to participate in local politics. It was there that she passed away on July 20, 1962. She was buried at Norfolk’s Elmwood Cemetery.

To learn more about Sarah Fain, see this article about her in the Dictionary of Virginia Biography published by the Library of Virginia.

Dr. Molly Beth Malcolm: Teacher, counselor, and politician

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Dr. Molly Beth Malcolm of Texas: Elementary school teacher, high school counselor, and politician extraordinaire. Photo credit: Molly Beth Malcolm

Many fine educators become equally successful politicians. This is the case with Molly Beth Malcolm, a former elementary schoolteacher and counselor who once became the Chairperson of the Texas Democratic Party.

Molly was born on April 26, 1955. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Southern Methodist University and her Master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance from Texas A&M University, Texarkana. She completed the requirements for her Ph.D. in Educational Administration with a Concentration in Community College Leadership (CCLP) from The University of Texas, Austin.

Once she earned her degrees, Molly inaugurated her career as an elementary and kindergarten teacher. Between 1977 and 1984, she taught in public schools in Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. She also worked as an elementary school counselor in Texarkana, as part of the Arkansas School System. Later she worked as the high school Counseling and Student Services Coordinator at Texas High School in the Texarkana Independent School District (1984-1989). There she also served as the Sophomore Class Counselor. Throughout her career in public schools, Molly has worked to improve public and higher education as a teacher, counselor, and coordinator of school counseling and drug free schools programs.

In addition to her work in schools, Molly has also made her mark in politics. In 1998, she was elected as the former Chairperson of the Texas Democratic Party. She was re-elected to the position in 2000 and 2002. Additionally, she is a former secretary of the Texarkana College Board of Trustees. Currently she serves as a member of the Texarkana College Board of Trustees in Texarkana.

For her work in the classroom, Molly has earned many accolades. She was named the Winnsboro High School Distinguished Alumna in Winnsboro, East Texas, in 2010. She has also been recognized with the Texarkana NAACP Torchbearer Award for Extraordinary Community Contributions; the Texarkana Martin Luther King Jr. Acts of Kindness Leadership Award; the Texarkana Community Journal Outstanding Woman Award; and the Four States Living Magazine Tribute to Women Award.

To learn more about this amazing Chalkboard Champion, see her website at Molly Beth Malcolm.

 

Covid-19 claims Florida teacher Deborah Menendez Holloway

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Sadly, Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another dedicated educator. Deborah Menendez Holloway, an elementary Language Arts teacher from Jacksonville, Florida, succumbed to the disease on Jan. 11, 2021. Photo credit: Holloway family

Sadly, Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another dedicated educator. Deborah Menendez Holloway, an elementary Language Arts teacher from Jacksonville, Florida, succumbed to the disease on Jan. 11, 2021. She was 51 years old.

Deborah was born on Nov. 16, 1969, on Staten Island, New York, where she was also raised. In 2000 she relocated to Florida and inaugurated her 20-year career as an educator in the Duval County Public School District. She taught three years at Rutledge Pearson Elementary School, and then moved to Love Grove Elementary, where she taught for 17 years. This year, she taught second and third grade at Arlington Elementary.

“She loved teaching,” remembers Deborah’s daughter, Regina Holloway. “She loved letting kids know that they were understood, and they weren’t alone, and they had powerful minds and voices,” Holloway continued.

The fallen educator made a deep impression on students and colleagues alike. “I first met Ms. Holloway in 2000,” remembers co-worker Dorothy Monts. “We were on the same language arts team, teaching 4th grade at Rutledge Pearson Elementary. I was new and she was so helpful with every thing I needed,” Monts says. “Her students loved her even when she had to be strict with them because they knew it came out of love. She is really going to be missed!” Monts concluded.

Former student Obri Richardson, now college-aged, agreed. “Love Grove Elementary will never be the same without my fourth-grade teacher, Ms. Deborah Holloway,” Richardson remarked. “From her comical remarks to her pouring of wisdom, she touched the hearts and souls of those on the margins. I’m glad to say I was one of them who she both taught and touched,” Richardson expressed.

To read more about this beloved educator, read this story about her published by the Florida Times-Union.

NY teacher Stefanie Clark earns Staples “Thank a Teacher” Award

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Congratulations to Stefanie Clark, a teacher from Oakfield, New York. She is one of 20 educators nationwide who have been named a recipient of a 2020 Staples “Thank a Teacher” Award. Photo credit: Oakfield-Alabama Central School District.

Congratulations go to Stefanie Clark, a teacher from Oakfield, New York. She is one of 20 educators nationwide who have been named a recipient of a 2020 Staples “Thank a Teacher” Award.

Stefanie teaches first grade at Oakfield-Alabama Elementary School. During distance learning established in response to the pandemic, Stefanie held individual online literacy lessons weekly with each of her young readers. Through these lessons, the exemplary educator encouraged and ensured her students’ continued growth.

But Stefanie’s dedication to young people is evident outside of her classroom as well. She distributed grab-and-go meals and held special virtual events during her school’s closure. These virtual events included a Fort-Nite Party where students built their own forts. She also organized a virtual Halloween Costume Party where students dressed up in costume to enjoy a bedtime story. Stefanie definitely embodies the phrase, “When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.”

As part of the recognition from the Staples “Thank a Teacher” Program, Stefanie will receive $5,000 to spend on supplies for her classroom. The office supplies store is happy to provide the cash awards to the recipients, remarked Mike Motz, Chief Executive Officer of Staples US Retail. “Staples knows that teachers will need our support more than ever — whether they’re teaching in the classroom, remotely or a combination of both,” said Motz.

To read more about Stefanie Clark, read this article published by The Batavian.

Melissa Collins inducted into National Teachers Hall of Fame

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Dr. Melissa Collins of Memphis, Tennessee, is one of five educators that has been inducted into the 2020 class of the National Teachers Hall of Fame. (Photo credit: Chalkboard Tennessee)

I enjoy sharing stories about exemplary educators who have earned recognition for their work. One of these is Dr. Melissa Collins, a second grade teacher from Memphis, Tennessee. Melissa is one of five educators who have been inducted into the 2020 class of the National Teachers Hall of Fame (NTHF).

For the past 21 years, Melissa has taught at John P. Freeman Optional School in Memphis. She is passionate about global learning, teacher leadership, and STEM. In fact, she is well-known for nurturing curiosity in science with her students. “We need to turn our classrooms into learning labs,” asserts Melissa. “That’s what I try to create. You have to give students total autonomy. At this age, they’re curious about the world around them and ready to ask questions. They’re always asking questions! We need to recognize the importance of them asking questions. They need to be able to pose the questions and then seek out their own understanding,” she continues.

Melissa is one of 145 teachers who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since the organization was founded in Emporia, Kansas, in 1992. Inductees have at least 20 years of teaching experience across Pre-K to 12th grade.

For her work in the classroom, Melissa has garnered many accolades. In addition to her NTHF honors, Melissa garnered the 2013 Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence and the 2008 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. She was named a 2014 finalist for Tennessee Teacher of the Year. She is a member of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, a National Board–Certified teacher, a founder of the National Board Network of Accomplished Minority Educators, and a Top 50 Finalist for the 2018 Global Teacher Prize. Melissa serves as the 2019–2020 Co-Chair of Shell Science Teaching Award and the Co-Chair of the EdTech Genome project.

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, click on this link to an interview with her published by Scholastic Teacher.