Education News in Alabama
May 16, 2007 (archive)
By Sallie Owen
HARMAN'S 'MOST AMAZING JOURNEY'
Effective teaching is the No. 1 way to boost student learning, and Alabama's new Teacher of the Year is a living testament to that fact. And State Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton says Pamela Harman has made a "most amazing journey" to become the state's secondary teacher of the year, and ultimately Alabama's 2007-08 Teacher of the Year.
As Harman tells it, she was raised by a single mom and worked multiple jobs during high school to help pay the family's bills. After a junior college scholarship ran out, she joined the U.S. Marines as a way to go to college and served during the Gulf War. She graduated from college and started her teaching career 10 years ago.
Now she teaches earth science at Spain Park High in Hoover. Harman says she has a passion for the "regular student," a passion connected to her mom and brother, who both dropped out of school.
"She is an extraordinary person, inside and out," Morton told the State Board of Education. "She knows every student can excel."
During the next year, Harman will serve as an ambassador for the teaching profession and represent Alabama in the National Teacher of the Year competition. Here's a Birmingham News article http://snipurl.com/bnharman.
Alabama's Elementary Teacher of the Year for 2007-08 is Christine Sealy, a first-grade teacher at Fairhope's J. Larry Newton Elementary, which is a Baldwin County school. Here's what the Press-Register wrote http://snipurl.com/prsealy.
The Alabama State Board of Education named District Teachers of the Year for all eight board districts in both the elementary and secondary categories.
- District 1: Christine Sealy of J. Larry Newton Elementary; and Jane E. Denmark of Baldwin County High, Baldwin County Schools
- District 2: Susanne K. Moar of Ogletree Elementary and John Pennisi of Auburn High, Auburn City Schools
- District 3: Diana Durham, Saks Middle, Calhoun County Schools, and Steve A. Bishop, Cedar Bluff High, Cherokee County Schools
- District 4: Rhonda F. Roberts, Pleasant Grove Elementary, Jefferson County Schools, and Joseph Smith III, L.M. Smith Middle, Birmingham City Schools
- District 5: Norman J. Williams Jr., George Washington Carver Elementary, Macon County Schools, and W.S. Godwin, Greenville Middle, Butler County Schools
- District 6: Anita H. Thompson, Fairview Elementary, Cullman County Schools, and Pamela Harman, Spain Park High, Hoover City Schools
- District 7: Marion J. Yarber, Hibbett Middle, Florence City Schools, and Minda T. Paxton, Tuscaloosa Middle, Tuscaloosa City Schools
- District 8: Debbie Elmore, Athens Intermediate, Athens City Schools, and Clarissa N. Daniels, Lee High, Huntsville City Schools
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION UPDATE
The Alabama State Board of Education met May 10 in Montgomery to consider K-12 matters. All board members were present except the governor.
The board approved resolutions commending the teachers of the year (see above). The board also honored three schools that won awards in the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress Motivation Contest. Those schools were North Birmingham Elementary, Birmingham City Schools; J.E. Terry Elementary, Dallas County Schools; and Haleyville Elementary, Haleyville City Schools.
By resolution, the board also expressed appreciation to Dr. Sandra Sims-deGraffenried, who is retiring from her post as executive director of the Alabama Association of School Boards.
Other board honorees are listed below in Examples of Excellence. The board also approved nominations to the Alabama School of Fine Arts board. Dr. Jane Moore was added to the list presented previously.
EXAMPLES OF EXCELLENCE
- Most of Alabama's semifinalists for the 2007 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program are public school students. The program recognizes 121 of the nation's most distinguished high school graduates each year.
The semifinalists from public schools are Jennifer M. Clegg, Huntsville High, Huntsville City Schools; Emily M. Haines, Oak Mountain High, Shelby County Schools; Victoria E. Kraft, Mountain Brook High, Mountain Brook City Schools; Morgan L. Rote, Vestavia Hills High, Vestavia Hills City Schools; Raymond B. Smith, International Baccalaureate School, Jefferson County Schools; and Lova L. Sun, Loveless Academic Magnet Program High, Montgomery County Schools.
Sun and Sean W. Sessel of Bayside Academy in Baldwin County were selected as Alabama's two Presidential Scholars for 2007.
- Vicki Owen, chief school financial officer for Elmore County Schools, is the first recipient of the Robert L. Morton Award from the Alabama Association of School Business Officials. The association promotes professionalism and excellence among all the various financial and operational staff members of Alabama's 131 school systems. The members are charged with carrying out the tough fiscal accountability requirements enacted by state leaders.
- The following seniors from public high schools in Alabama received scholarships through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation from one of several programs. They are: Brittany A. Johnson from the Alabama School of Fine Arts; Helen H. Solomon and Heng Wang from Auburn High (Auburn City Schools); Jasmine J. Rencher from Baker High (Mobile County Schools); Lauren M. Cole, John D. Herenroeder, Kerry L. King, Chelsey S. Erway, Grant D. Patten and Tiffany W. Seto from Bob Jones High (Madison City Schools); James R. Nichols from Booker T. Washington Magnet High (Montgomery County Schools); Christopher B. Holland and Patrick C. Johnson from Cullman High (Cullman City Schools); Ryan J. Davis from Daphne High (Baldwin County Schools); Bethany J. Andrews from Davidson High (Mobile County); Matthew D. Pankey, Douglas High (Marshall County Schools); and Shannon L. Gray from Ensley High (Birmingham City Schools)
Also Linn E. Groft and Christopher A. Ray from Florence High (Florence City Schools); Jennifer M. Berry, Kevin S. Chou, Yaa N. Gyasi, Johnny H. Hu, Christina K. Kim and Elena C. Roca, from Grissom High (Huntsville City Schools); Jasmine A. Hoskins and Rebecca W. Terry from Homewood High (Homewood City Schools); Hao Meng and Joi R. Webb from Hoover High (Hoover City Schools); Jennifer M. Clegg from Huntsville High (Huntsville); Linnea C. Pepper and Christopher T. Phare from International Baccalaureate School (Jefferson County Schools); Lova L. Sun, Parker White and David Y. Zhai from Loveless Academic Magnet Program (Montgomery County); and Alexander J. Denton and Taylor L. Garrett from Mountain Brook High (Mountain Brook City Schools).
Also Kyra A. Baker, Leah M. Nodar, Brandi N. Powe and Claire J. Watson from Murphy High (Mobile County Schools); Feng A. Zheng and Lisa C. Zheng from Northridge High (Tuscaloosa City Schools); Elizabeth D. Whiting from Northview High (Dothan City Schools); Terrence C. Moore from Oak Grove High (Jefferson); Emily M. Haines and Annika E. Nordlund from Oak Mountain High (Shelby County Schools); David M. Harris from Spain Park High (Hoover); Rhone Y. Triplett from Sparkman High (Madison County Schools); Kenneth K. Stallworth from T.R. Miller High (Brewton City Schools); Andrew D. Chou, Kevin H. Hu and Evan Y. Zhao from Vestavia Hills High (Vestavia Hills City Schools); and Ryan L. Melvin and Daniel O. Osula from Walker High (Jasper City Schools).
WHAT'S UP @ A+?
Last week, more than 200 amazing teachers gathered for the Alabama Best Practices Center's 21st Century Learning Showcase. The focus was using technology tools to enrich student learning. To read more about it, and find links to some examples of great teaching, check out "Students win when teachers adopt high-tech skills" http://snipurl.com/nr0508.
The Shelby County School System has made a big investment to help teachers use technology for instruction, and our very own Cathy Gassenheimer was an expert source in a Birmingham News piece. Find "Blogs, podcasts extend learning" here http://snipurl.com/bn0514.
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The A+ Education Partnership, based in Montgomery, publishes Education News in Alabama twice a month. A+ is a nonprofit organization that advances policies, programs and initiatives in Alabama's K-12 education system that result in high achievement by every child.
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