MEET THE 2020 WINNERS

"Ms. Campbell leads our department with dedication and she's focused on engaging students both in the class and throughout the community."

"My life would not be today if it were not for Ms. Davis. I and so many other students call her "Mama Davis" because of the relationships she has built with us. She builds trust and rapport with students by being genuinely involved and concerned in every part of a child's life."

"Ms. Harrison is by far the BEST middle school science teacher and all around MENTOR to our 5th and 6th graders that I've had the pleasure of working with in my 44 year career!"

"Ms. Soulfire focuses on the whole child and empowers students to build their self motivation and growth mindset."

"Ms. Barclay develops a safe rapport with her students. She is one of those teachers students will remember their whole lives."

"Ms. Gorham does everything I could ask for in a teacher and always helps those around her."

"Mr. Ginicola is a master of blended classrooms, integrating dance and movement, and providing professional development for all colleagues."

"Mr. Diasgranados is an exceptionally inspiring teacher because of his dedication and commitment to go above and beyond for his students, using his own story as inspiration to show students that they can succeed."

"Ms. Tracy is a consummate teaching professional and one who inspires those around her to be better educators and citizens of the world. She is a leader in social justice and affording a quality, rigorous, and meaningful education for all students."

"Ms. Bremner embraces her role of advocating and supporting students' continuous academic growth with enthusiastic pride and passion on a daily basis."

"Innovative. Passionate. Creative. These are just a few words that come to mind when I think of Mr. Furstenberg. He knows each child’s name, has high expectations for his students and instills a confidence about learning within each child. He cares about the kids and they know it."

"Ms. Young has the highest expectations for her students and always pushes them to do their best."

"Mr. Janss consistently uses tact and skill to develop a strong classroom community. He embraces challenges with an attitude and mindset that will overcome barriers often evident within a classroom with students with significant needs."

"Ms. Drick spends endless hours connecting with students so they know they are appreciated and safe and she treats every student as though they are special and the only one."

"Ms. McCarthy has consistently demonstrated a relentless effort to inspire our scholars through social justice topics and concepts to become practitioners of change. She is also a passionate advocate of global citizenship through literacy."

"Mrs. Toebes provides opportunities for our school community as a health coach, and tirelessly supports our students and staff as an educator."

"Ms. Cook is a leader in incorporating social-emotional learning into the classroom. She has high expectations of her students and helps them gain the confidence they need to meet those expectations."

"Mrs. Harris is a phenomenal teacher and she works tirelessly to make sure each of her students grows, not only academically, but also socially and emotionally."

"Ms. Robinson has touched the lives of many students in her class, and spends many volunteer hours after school working with students to make sure all succeed under her tutelage."

"Ms. Perrault is a constantly positive and creative educator. She inspires her students daily to think, to solve problems, to collaborate, and to take ownership of their learning."

"Ms. Green adovcates for every individual in our building -- each and every stakeholder alike -- students, staff, parents and community members. She greets each and every student as they enter the building and energizes their day."

"Our graduates frequently share that their senior English teacher Mr. Hennessey prepared them best for their next step in life."

"Even in the most challenging situations and balancing multiple responsibilities, Ms. Ortega maintained her focus on creating a community of learning in her classroom, not only for the current year, but also for her students’ lives in the future."

"Mr. McNiven creates a classroom community where all students and teammates thrive; he honors the individuality of his students and works to build a strong collective team on the path through college."

"Ms. Prinster has changed the culture in her school through her efforts in student wellness, and she consistently creates opportunities that inspire students to learn and grow as responsible citizens."

"Mr. Price is an inspiration to all students. He actively engages his students in the classroom with his projects and encourage students to be leaders among their peers and communities."

"Mrs. Hellwinkel is a dynamic and impactful instructor. Students know that she cares about them because she makes them feel safe and gives them the the confidence to pursue their education."

"Ms. Murphy teaches her students to be better people through global citizenship. All students in her class are taught that they have a voice that they can use to impact the world."

"Mr. Todd is a dedicated and a caring educator who fully embodies the Sanford Harmony program. He works hard to bring in culturally diverse and relevant instructional materials into his lessons."

"Mr. Krinke has worked hard to develop trust amongst his learners, and once he has established trust his ability to reach learners through books and readings is outstanding."

"No matter the need, Ms. Voinovich believes in her students and believes it is her responsibility to make sure they experience success and gain the skills necessary to be successful in life, including personalizing each student's learning plan."

"Mr. Hansen is committed to teaching kids to think in innovative ways, while empowering their creativity with out-of-the-box activities."

"Ms. Wilbert consistently finds ways to help her disabled students excel in language acquisition and their behavioral goals. Over the last two years, she has been a huge supporter of the school becoming fully inclusive. Her present and past students all know that she is willing to support them through any challenge is and that is why she is successful in the classroom."

"It is unbelievable to watch Ms. Massey engage with students and witness how motivated students are by her innovation and energy in our small rural community."

"Ms. Miller is empowering our students to become well-rounded individuals who are conscientious and always thinking of others."

"Ms. Morris has transformed our Title 1 community of 4,000 students to truly take a step back and look at each child and their needs. She is without a doubt a true educator who never stops thinking out of the box to help children become the next best them."

"Ms. Flaherty is an incredible educator and consistently builds upon our professional development themes of empathy and connection, always looking at different areas where students can feel better about themselves."

"Ms. Bointy has supported the implementation of Sanford Harmony resources for each of our classroom teachers and continues to be a champion for families and children in our community."

"Ms. Salmi goes above and beyond for her students, cares about their social emotional needs, and she connects with her students and their families."

"Ms. Beverly's students evolve in her class, becoming aware of the world around them, developing a deeper understanding of persuasive arguments, and growing as generous, thoughtful human beings."

"Ms. Smith is a team player and always has the student at the center, leading physical and mental health and wellness iniatives to ensure that our students are socially and emotionally safe."

"Ms. Warr is a daily inspiration to her students by modeling for them that through perseverance and positivity, success is inevitable. She encourages and nurtures middle school students during a time in life when peer pressure and daily challenges are common."

"Mrs. Kannas is a relentless learner and advocate for all students in her classroom. She partners with families to support children going through hardships and she has a burning desire to move students forward with academic achievement and social-emotional growth."

"Dr. Collins is always student centered and leverages anything she can to expose her students to new opportunities and to be more aware of their backgrounds and hertigage."

"Mr. Thomas goes above and beyond to reach our students and make learning engaging and meaningful."

"Ms. Sheffield has made it her personal mission to ensure that ALL of our students are taught the necessary social and emotional skills to make our world a better place."

"Ms. Harrell is a tremendously student-centered teacher who differentiates the needs of her students academically as well as socially and emotionally. She carefully develops a classroom culture that is inclusive and supportive to all students."

"Ms. Porter works beyond her classroom walls to promote a healthy working environment for her colleagues."

"Ms. Henry teaches students the art of being courageous at accomplishing their goals."

"In the classroom, Ms. Wentland has mastered the difficult skill of blending a safe, caring environment with rigorous academic activities for her students. Beyond the classroom, she shares her knowledge and abundant experience with other professional educators around the country. Mary Wentland is a true gem in the educational field."

"Ms. Hillard inspires students to learn, to be successful, and to feel accepted and be challenged. She goes above and beyond for her students. There are not many teachers like her."

"When you have a conversation with Ms. Taylor about education, you can tell from her care and cutting-edge ideas that she is meant to be a teacher and above all else a Kindergarten teacher."