Tag Archives: Math Teachers

Georgia teachers Sean and Heidi Hammond succumb to Covid-19

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Elementary school teacher Heidi Hammond (left) and her husband, Sean Hammond, a teacher at Hammond Creek Middle School (right), have both succumbed to Covid-19. The deaths leave their son, Marshall, age 12 (center), to be raised by grandparents. Photo credit: Daily Citizen News.

 

Two beloved educators from Dalton, Georgia, have succumbed to Covid-19. Heidi Hammond, a teacher at Chatsworth Elementary School, passed away in September, just 25 days after her husband, Sean Hammond, who was due to begin his first year as a teacher and football coach at Hammond Creek Middle School. Heidi passed away on Sept. 24, 2021, at the age of 44. Sean passed away on Aug. 30, 2021, at the age of 51. The deaths leave their son, Marshall, age 12, to be raised by grandparents.

Heidi was born on August 21, 1977. In a career that spanned more than 20 years, she was teaching first grade at Chatsworth Elementary at the time of her passing. Sean was born on March 3, 1970. The couple met when they were attending college at Marshall University in West Virginia. They lived in northern Georgia’s Murray County for about 20 years after their graduation.

Sean was a seasoned veteran in the classroom. Because of the low pay, he had left teaching for a period of time to work in the coal mines. However, recently he was lured back to the classroom. He was set to begin his first year at Hammond Creek Middle School. He would have taught special education mathematics and coached football.

Previously, Sean coached a youth program, and occasionally substituted on his son’s team at Hammond Middle when the regular coaches were absent. While substituting, Sean caught the attention of George Woods IV, Head Football Coach at the school. “He was able to step right in and really coach, and I was like, wow, this guy’s really good,” remembered Woods. “So I did some homework on him and found out that he’s just a really humble guy, and he probably had as much or more coaching experience as I have,” Woods continued. When the brand new middle school coaching staff was formed, Woods convinced Sean to join the team.

Dalton Public Schools spokeswoman Pat Holloway said that Sean attended the induction for new teachers prior to the beginning of the school year and the first three days of inservice before he tested positive for Covid-19. Because of his diagnosis, Holloway reported, Sean was unable to start the school year with students in the classroom. However, he had worked with the football players during the summer and, Holloway asserted, he “had already left an indelible mark on the other coaches and players.”

To learn more about these two teachers, see this article published by the Daily Citizen News.

Christy Trombetta named Michigan Virtual Online Teacher of the Year

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Christy Trombetta, a senior math instructor in Grand Ile, Michigan, has been named a 2021 Michigan Virtual Online Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Michigan Virtual.

Educator Christy Trombetta of Gross Ile, Michigan, has been named a 2021 Michigan Virtual Online Teacher of the Year. Each year since 2009, Michigan Virtual has recognized outstanding online educators through this award. Those educators who earn the award have been selected for their positive impact on students, their continuous improvement of practice, and their vision for the future of online education. 

Christy has been a senior math instructor with Michigan Virtual since 2018. She has been praised for her ability to help her students master concepts by working with them on their unique challenges. For this award, Christy received numerous nomination letters. One of her students wrote, “Once I reached out to Mrs. Trombetta I started getting better scores while genuinely understanding the content. Right now I’m ahead of where I thought I would be thanks to her patience, teaching methods, and dedication.” 

In a letter from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Christy was praised for her dedication and contribution to student success. “Over the past year, you have shown exceptional commitment to your students and outstanding devotion to building a strong educational foundation in Michigan,” the governor wrote in her letter. “This past year has been a difficult one, however, through your determination, insight, and leadership, you have persevered and instilled the joy of learning in countless students and led them to grow into strong, resilient individuals,” Governor Whitmer continued. 

Christy earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Western Michigan University. She earned her Master’s degree in Mathematics at Eastern Michigan University. In addition, she completed graduate courses at the University of Michigan, Dearborn. Before working at Michigan Virtual, she held teaching positions with the Covenant House Academy Southwest, Westwood Community Schools, and Taylor Public Schools, all in Michigan.

 

Covid-19 claims life of Kentucky teacher Amanda Nutt

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Sadly, we report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Math teacher Amanda Nutt of Horse Cave, Kentucky, succumbed to the disease on Sept. 15, 2021. Photo credit: Winn Funeral Home.

Sadly, we must report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of another beloved educator. Amanda Nutt, a math teacher in Cave, Kentucky, succumbed to the disease on Sept. 15, 2021. She was just 36 years old.

Amanda taught at Caverna High School in the Caverna Independent School District in Horse Cave. She taught in the district for six years. Teaching was a lifelong passion for the fallen educator. “I wanted to be the teacher that I needed when I was younger,” Amanda once said. “And I strive to be the teacher that incorporates fun and active learning in the classroom.”

For her work in the classroom, Amanda earned many accolades. She was named Hart County Teacher of the Year in 2020, and she earned a B.H. Weaver Outstanding Educator of the Year the same year. She also garnered an Excellence in Teaching Award from Campbellsville University in 2019. In addition, she was also nominated for the 2020 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Award and the Western Kentucky University Distinguished Educator Award.

Amanda’s passion for the field of education was very evident. She was selected to be a GoTeachKy ambassador. Through that organization, she helped the Kentucky Department of Education recruit new educators to the profession in an attempt to address a critical teacher shortage currently affecting the state.

When she was not teaching, Amanda was an avid music fan who spent time working with bands and photographing concerts.

The Chalkboard Champion earned her degree at Western Kentucky University. At the time of her passing, she was pursuing her Ph.D. degree in Educational Leadership from the same institution and was on track to graduate this year.

Covid-19 claims life of math, PE teacher Rodney Lee

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We regret to report that Covid-19 claimed the life of elementary math and physical education teacher Rodney Lee of Dalton, Georgia, on September 6, 2021. Photo credit: Photo credit: Dalton Citizen.

We regret to report that Covid-19 has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Rodney Lee, an elementary school teacher from Georgia, succumbed to the disease on September 6, 2021. He was only 44 years old.

Rodney taught physical education at Varnell Elementary School in Dalton.  His wife, Lacey Lee, said her husband enjoyed young people. “He loved working with them, and it was really important to him to be a good role model for them,” she recalled.

Rodney inaugurated his career as an educator a math teacher. “He taught in middle school for one year and decided that wasn’t for him and went back to elementary school,” Lacey says. “Then the opportunity to become a physical education teacher came up, and he took it. That’s what he taught for the last 12 years or so,” she continued. “He was a great math teacher, but he just loved PE,” she concluded. In 2018, the fallen educator was recognized as the school’s Teacher of the Year. His career as a teacher spanned 18 years.

Rodney and Lacey met when they were both education students at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. “There was a student-teaching abroad program,” Lacey remembered. “We both signed up for it, and we both spent about eight weeks teaching in England and got to know each other and fell in love.”

In addition to teaching, Rodney coached travel softball, basketball, and baseball. He was active with Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief and Georgia Baptist Builders, an organization which helps the needy with construction projects. “He would work on cars (for those in need),” remembered friend Allee Worley. “He would work on air conditioners. He would build wheelchair ramps. And he did everything with a cheerful attitude and a smile on his face,” she said.

To read more about Rodney Lee, see this article published by the Dalton Citizen.

Teacher and social activist Josephine Gomon of Detroit

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Math teacher Josephine Gomon of Detroit, Michigan, was described as one of the most influential women in the city’s history. Photo credit: Bentley Historical Society.

Many talented classroom educators become involved in social causes that improve living conditions for everyone in their communities. One is Josephine Gomon, a mathematics teacher from Detroit, Michigan, who was described as one of the most influential women in the city’s history.

Josephine was born on June 29, 1892, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As a young woman, she attended the University of Michigan, working her way through college as a switch board operator. In 1913, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, an unusual field for a woman of her day.

Josephine inaugurated her career as an educator when she accepted a position as a teacher of physics and mathematics at Wayne State University, then known as the College of the City of Detroit. Later, after getting married and having five children, Josephine taught in Detroit city public schools. During those years, she also wrote a regular column about education which was published in The Detroit News.

After two of her close friends died in childbirth, Josephine became actively involved in Detroit’s underground birth control clinics. Later she helped to establish the National Planned Parenthood League, and she became the president of the Detroit Chapter. Josephine was passionate about the welfare of the poor and underprivileged in Detroit, and this passion led to her involvement in politics and to her position as Executive Secretary to Mayor Frank Murphy.

The indefatigable teacher was an activist serving the cause of social justice within the community in many ways. She was a founding member of the ACLU in Michigan, and she worked closely with Clarence Darrow on several Detroit-based civil liberties cases. Later she became an advisor to Franklin Roosevelt. In 1933 Josephine was appointed Secretary Director of the Detroit Housing Commission, where she supervised construction of Detroit’s first public housing projects. During World War II she was named by Henry Ford as the Director of Women Personnel at the Willow Run Bomber Plant. Her success in this position led to her becoming an influencer in organized labor in the area.

Josephine passed away on November 13, 1975, at the age of 83. After her passing, the Detroit Free Press described her as “one of the most influential women in the city’s history.” She was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in 1983.