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Congratulations to our the five Spotlight Award recipients selected for 2011! Recognized as exceptional educators at the fourth annual Tribute to Teachers were Kenneth Allen, Kristen Baker, Brian McDivitt, Jim Moulton, and Eve Weglarz. These teachers routinely encourage their students in ways that are "above and beyond" while instructing and preparing them for success in the 21st century.
2011 Spotlight Award Recipients
(left to right: Eve Weglarz, Kristen Baker, Kenneth Allen, Jim Moulton, and Brian McDivitt.)
 Kenneth Allen, Silver Creek High School, was nominated by a highly impressed parent and by several students in awe of their teacher. Some of the comments include:
From a student… “Mr. Allen can easily lead, follow, or watch from the side. The students give him cues as to what role he needs to follow to keep them engaged and moving forward. Mr. Allen is a teacher who is not just a teacher. He is a doctor, a psychologist, a mentor, and a friend.”
Although the course he instructs is math; another of his students shared a similar statement about just how well the teacher connects above and beyond the subject matter. This student shared… “His math classes are not just math classes, they are lessons on how to become a good person, how to be successful, and how to establish a positive future in life.
We had a heartfelt nomination from the parent of one of his students, as well. The parent stated that… “I personally saw a transformation in my son almost immediately upon entering Mr. Allen’s class. I watched my teenager transform from a boy to a man in his thought process, decision making, and personal and academic choices. The confidence my son gained his junior year was remarkable and I attribute much of that to Mr. Allen.”
Congratulations to Silver Creek High School's Math Teacher, Kenneth Allen!
 Kristen Baker, Imagine Charter School, is so passionate about teaching kindergarten that often times she will come to school in a costume that embodies the subject matter she is teaching….from Johnny Appleseed, to George Washington, to the Cat in the Hat, to Fancy Nancy, to the Queen of England!! She absolutely brings the material alive for her students.
Ms. Baker uses technology to enhance student learning, as well. When learning about Veteran’s Day, for example, the class connected via email with a student’s relative in Iraq. They were able to better understand what it means to serve in the military by asking questions of a soldier and viewing the pictures of the base at which he was stationed. They also sent a video to parents, grandparents, friends, etc –anyone they knew was a veteran – of their entire class singing the national anthem!
Additionally, this teacher willingly uses her “free time” to encourage and support her students. For example, over her Winter Break she had challenged one student who is reading at several levels above the grade, to read a chapter book. Over the break, Kristen read the same book and maintained email contact with the student asking questions about the chapters they were reading.”
Congratulations to Imagine Charter School's Kindergarten Teacher, Kristen Baker!
 Brian McDivitt, Lyons Middle/Senior High, has passion for preparing his students for the future by sharing his immense knowledge of technology. Some of the classes he teaches are ones which he developed in response to student’s interest and level of learning. For example, when a student moved past even the highest high school technology class offered, he worked with that student to develop a course of independent study. Through that study, the student was able to create a new website for the school. He also encouraged him to use the website project to enter the 2010 St. Vrain Valley School District Technology Fair, something which the student said he’d never had done on his own. The student ended up winning 1st place in his division!
A student nominator wrote… “When I was a 7th grader in Lyons, I was sitting in my English class one day when I watched a high school kid come into my classroom and tell the teacher that Mr. McDivitt sent him to fix her computer. That was the first time that I realized with Mr. McDivitt teaching me, I could be that high school kid that knew how to fix computers. He made it possible and now I am that high school kid! I didn’t know or understand it at that time, the impact this teacher would have on my life, but from my start at Lyons, Mr. McDivitt has played a key role in my education and growth not just in high school but in preparation for a lifetime career. He has modeled excellence, he has inspired creativity, he has encouraged every endeavor and he has directed many steps for not just me, but all students that he teaches.”
Congratulations to Lyons Middle/Senior High School's Technology Teacher, Brian McDivitt!
 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.
Congratulations to Longmont High School's Physics and Animal Behavior Teacher, Jim Moulton!
 Eve Weglarz, Fall River Elementary, received seven parent nominations. One parent shared that the teacher’s “passion and enthusiasm for learning is undeniable and comes through in the subject matter which she teaches to her students.” That passion is what fuels teachers to find ways to connect with their students.
Listen to what this parent had to say… “Eight years ago, she taught one of my older children. That child is a special needs child and she was able to reach him in a way no other teacher had before. At that time, I thought she was wonderful. However, over the years something magical happened in her classroom. She went from being a great teacher to one of the most innovative, exciting and challenging teachers for which a child could ask.” This teacher constantly encourages her students to “reach for the stars” and to live up to the school motto which is “have the courage to be outstanding.” She does whatever is necessary to further a child’s understanding of a subject.
Another nomination included this story… “One night I was going over math homework with my son. As it sometimes happens, I was not able to show him how to solve the problem like Mrs. Weglarz does. I sent an email to her in the evening hours, expecting a response the next day for guidance on the math problem. Shortly after sending the email, I received a response from her explaining the problem! She always goes above and beyond in her work.” I’ll finish telling you about this extraordinary teacher by sharing one of her student’s sentiments which was included in one of the seven nominations. The second grader said…
“I think that Mrs. Weglarz is nice and an awesome teacher! I think other kids should have her because she is my favorite thing about school I learn a lot from her and she teaches us in fun ways. I really want Mrs. Weglarz to win best teacher of the world!”
Congratulations to Fall River Elementary's Second Grade Teacher, Eve Weglarz!
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