| Certificates of Achievement 2012-13 | ||
|
Congratulations to all staff members who were recognized for their stellar performance with Certificates of Achievement.
Karre Jones, Ruth Garza, and Lynn Morrow, was commended for outstanding performance as members of the counseling team for the New Directions Alternative Education Center. The team truly defines World-Class. As a result of their efforts, New Directions Alternative Education Center earned the Recognized ASCA Model Program designation from the American School Counselor Association. Only two alternative schools in the nation have earned the designation.
Ms. Guyisha Alston
Secretary
Freedom High School
Ms. Guyisha Alston is commended for her dedication and commitment to students in the Parenting Teen Program located at Freedom High School. In addition to obtaining 10 computers for these students, Ms. Alston personally gave each student a voucher to receive Internet access. Through Ms. Alston’s efforts, these students can complete coursework in their core subjects and stay on target to graduate on time. Additionally, Ms. Alston’s coordination of monthly programs for students to receive education in parenting, healthy relationships and healthy choices, in-home counseling services, and access to transportation instills in the student that there is a nurturing and caring educator dedicated to their achievement.
Ms. Gena Merenda Kindergarten Teacher Assistant
Ashland Elementary School
Ms. Gena Merenda is gratefully recognized for coming to the rescue of a student who was choking on a piece of food on January 19, 2012. She immediately performed the Heimlich Maneuver which dislodged the food the student was choking on. Thanks to Ms. Merenda this student started breathing normally again. Ms. Merenda not only rescued the student from being seriously injured from choking, but also ensured that the student could get back to learning for the remainder of the day.
November 2011
Ms. Anne Rude Translation Services Specialist Student Learning and Accountability Ms. Rude is being commended for always providing excellent customer service in a professional manner. She considers every project in front of her as the most important work she does. She makes every effort to be available for contact and willingly volunteers to retrieve and deliver projects. Ms. Rude gives great attention to detail and manages to work carefully and efficiently to provide her colleagues with quality translation services. She never hesitates to go beyond providing translations by probing every written word and offering suggestions to clarify and improve understanding. April 2012
Jessica Riefer Special Education Teacher
New Directions Alternative Education Center
Ms. Riefer was recognized for providing above and beyond assistance to students on the English 11 Research Paper, and for setting a plan in motion to ensure each of her students would be successful. She met with students during her planning time to ensure they were on track to complete the requirements for submission. Ms. Riefer scheduled to meet multiple students at neighborhood libraries to assist them with the paper. She provided group and individualized instruction, remediation, and most importantly, support for the students. As a result of her dedication, 100 % of the students that attended the fall Saturday sessions passed the research paper.
Joan Pennline
Assistant Principal
New Directions Alternative Education Center
Ms. Pennline was recognized for her continued performance in duties outside of those associated with assistant principals. She developed a collaborative approach to building master schedules which includes professional school counselors, educators, students, and families. She creatively blended the responsibilities of a guidance director, registrar, and administrator to ensure each student is scheduled according to his or her academic, family, and employment needs. Ms. Pennline’s successful approach is unique in PWCS and not only ensures the student is scheduled correctly, but empowers all stakeholders—especially our students. She provided yearly SOL remediation for students enrolled in chemistry and maintained a 100 % success rate. Students are impacted by her engaging teaching style and her approach serves as a model for professional educators.
Lori Forman
Secretary
New Directions Alternative Education Center
Ms. Forman was recognized for taking an instrumental leadership role in refining communication and office procedures that not only impacted the school, but eased subsequent collaboration with all high schools working with New Directions. She established support staff meetings and a systemic delegation of support team duties. She was instrumental in and volunteered to help support the school's first summer school program, which has grown to more than 300 students each summer. Ms. Forman worked with the principal and all high school guidance directors to successfully maintain the New Directions Senior Scholarship Program, which is responsible for over 450 base high school graduates since the program's inception in 2008-09. Ms. Forman is always willing to be of assistance to all school or community stakeholders.
Matthew Grimsley
Earth Science Teacher
Underwater Robotics Team Sponsor
New Directions Alternative Education Center
Mr. Grimsley is recognized for volunteering to co-sponsor the inaugural underwater robotics program at New Directions Alternative Education Center for the 2010-11 school year. The school fielded a team which competed at the regional competition that year. He then recruited enough students to field three teams for the 2011-12 school year. Those teams placed 3rd, 6th, and 10th out of 64 PWCS high school teams with the 3rd place team qualifying for the National SeaPerch competition. Mr. Grimsley volunteered his time to support the student team members. In addition, he scheduled multiple field trips to the local pool to allow the students to practice with their underwater robots and planned an end-of-year celebration for the entire team after the national meet. The most salient aspect of this nomination is how Mr. Grimsley instilled positive self-worth in male and female team members and encouraged them to achieve excellence as representatives of New Directions. Infusing not only a love of learning, healthy competiveness, and team spirit, he instilled a powerful sense of school pride and community in the students.
Justin Goultrey
Art Teacher
Underwater Robotics Team Sponsor
New Directions Alternative Education Center
Mr. Goultrey is recognized for volunteering to co-sponsor the inaugural underwater robotics program at New Directions Alternative Education Center for the 2010-11 school year. The school fielded a team which competed at the regional competition that year. He then recruited enough students to field three teams for the 2011-12 school year. Those teams placed 3rd, 6th, and 10th out of 64 PWCS high school teams with the 3rd place team qualifying for the National SeaPerch competition. Mr. Goultrey volunteered his time to support the student team members. In addition, he scheduled multiple field trips to the local pool to allow the students to practice with their underwater robots and planned an end-of-year celebration for the entire team after the national meet. The most salient aspect of this nomination is how Mr. Goultrey instilled positive self-worth in male and female team members and encouraged them to achieve excellence as representatives of New Directions. Infusing not only a love of learning, healthy competiveness, and team spirit, he instilled a powerful sense of school pride and community in the students. This certificate is presented with deep gratitude and appreciation.
February 2012 |
||
| Previous Years | ||
|
|
||
