Education Foundation for the St Vrain Valley Encore Award Program
This awards program, sponsored by the Education Foundation for the
St. Vrain Valley, provides the opportunity for students, parents,
community members and business partners the opportunity to recognize and
honor individual teachers at the Pre-K – 12 levels in the St. Vrain
Valley School District who exemplify excellence in teaching. By paying
tribute to the achievements of teachers who have an extraordinary impact
on the achievements of students, the Foundation and the community hope
to pay tribute to the accomplishments of all teachers.
One teacher from each St. Vrain Valley School receives
recognition annually. Each recipient receives a small cash award, a
certificate of recognition and their name on a plaque displayed in the
lobby of the Educational Services Center. Additionally, several recipients are spotlighted each year as as exceptional educators These teachers routinely encourage their students in ways that are
"above and beyond" while instructing and preparing them for success in
the 21st century.
The recognition received at the Encore Awards celebration reminds
teachers of the great appreciation and respect that the community holds
for its outstanding teachers.
2011 LHS Award Winner - Jim Moulton (spotlight award)
Jim Moulton, Longmont High School, has a complete
mastery of the rigorous and complex principles of physics; and he
understands how to break those principles down ~ as one of his students
put it… “he can make a ridiculously difficult subject entirely
understandable.” He employs a variety of teaching techniques and
oftentimes, you will witness hands-on demonstrations in his classroom.
Other days, you are likely to hear him sharing a story from his
childhood and how physics is applied in your life. One student shared,
“I can remember everything about a chapter in the beginning of the year
about velocity solely because of his soap box derby cars he raced with
his best friend, Jeff.”
The teaching method which was mentioned in each of the numerous
nominations we received for this individual, was the way he incorporates
song as a memorization tool. The Laws of Thermodynamics are rewritten
into the lyrics of “Heat Wave.” A friction equation is taught to the
tune of “Slip Sliding Away.” Or “Yankee Doodle” turned into an
acceleration equation! One of his students lists “The 12 Days of
Electricity" as her favorite.
2009 LHS Award Winner - Richard Martyr (spotlight award)
Richard Martyr, Longmont High School, is a high school
teacher whose personal motto seems to be “excellence is expected” and
has his students thanking him for setting the bar so high. Students
routinely will tell you that his classes are probably the “most
difficult” that they have ever taken - but they will also tell you that
his classes are the most worthwhile.
Dick holds a PhD in Biochemistry and truly shares not only his knowledge
of science but his understanding of it as well. His thorough,
understandable explanations of AP Chemistry led one of his former
students to be able tutor her college dorm floor in Chemistry! He
offers study sessions before all exams. The sessions sometimes run late
into the night. Whatever time is needed, is given. The desire to
ensure that each student have a complete understanding of the concepts
is his sole motivation.
It can’t be stated better than the sentiment expressed by one of his
students who stated, “He never talks down to us, he respects us and we
respect him, no one would ever act up in his class, they all bring their
“A” game. We would do anything for him.” It sounds like this teacher
would also do anything for his students.
Dick teaches physical science, honors physical science and chemistry,
and Advanced Placement chemistry and was nominated by parent and
community activist Jane Wolford.
2008 LHS Award Winner - Jackie Bilan (spotlight award)
Jackie Bilan, strives to keep students working
competitively and thinking critically in sciences so that they can be
better prepared for the challenges ahead in the 21st Century.
Jackie weaves critical thinking and problem solving into real world
science-based scenarios stimulates student learning. By using a variety
of college lab level science learning tools – such as PowerPoint, oil
immersion microscopes, spectrophotometers, analytical balances, gel
electrophoresis, and bacterial transformation with genes, she stretches
the scope of high school biology and animal behaviors in order to
prepare students for a seamless transition into college.
As a co-advisor for MESA, Jackie is also dedicated to exposing students
from under-represented populations to various science and engineering
careers and activities.
Developing university and community partnerships, Jackie’s students have
been able to explore wide scopes of science endeavors. Under her
direction, students have done field testing of the St.Vrain River with
Trout Unlimited and the City of Longmont and field trips to work on
cadavers with CSU, The Spine Institute and Exempla Good Samaritan
hospital. A local veterinarian shares career expertise and helps with AP
cat dissections, - and a physicist participates in Super Science
Saturday to help her students explore optics.
|