2008-09 Educators of the Year

Miss Meklus is in her 29th year of teaching and Arrowhead has been lucky enough to call her ours the entire 29 years! Her first 11 years at Arrowhead she was the Learning Disabilities Resource Room Teacher. The last 18 years she has taught first grade. She has volunteered in many community activities including nursing homes and cancer walks. She has also served as the Language Arts Curriculum Development Committee for Arrowhead and the Chairman of the Building Leadership Team.

Miss Meklus pours her heart and creativity (sometimes down to the last minute) into the many programs she has chairs at Arrowhead. Every year she has organizes grade level volunteers to work on a weekly basis with children on Dolch Sight Words.

Her Right To Read Week activities and themes are like no other! In the past several years we have had “Reach for the Stars” with professional storytellers, magic theater programs and the children were given pencils, bookmarks and certificates. “Spring into Reading” where the children raised $2300.00 for the Ronald McDonald House. and by far the most popular, “Dr. Seuss”, where the children had daily stories and facts about Dr. Seuss, given cookies, and Barnes and Noble gift certificates. Ending with an assembly where Dr. Seuss made an appearance.

She received the WalMart Teacher of the Year in 2006-2007. She has received a grant from the Copley Foundation and received Honorable Mention for an Economic Unit in the area of Special Education from the National Paper Company.

While at Fort Island Mrs. Dodd has co-founded Dr. Seuss and Dad’s day, a Mother’s Day program and 4th Grade Reading Buddies. She started literacy based Learning Centers, creates the Monthly Curriculum Map for teachers in the district and the use of Interactive Poetry Notebooks. She has special times for moms and dads to be a part of her class, and was a big part of getting Extended Day Kindergarten.

In the last two (2) years Mrs. Dodd has brought Autism awareness and Allergy awareness to Fort Island, both needs are increasing each year. Mrs. Dodd is clearly an outstanding educator because she goes above and beyond the job description by giving whatever time is necessary, by using any and all resources, and by maintaining her unique balance of instilling expectation and excitement that allows children to flourish as they begin their new academic life.

You will never see Mrs. Dodd without a warm smile and inviting attitude. Perhaps that is because to Mrs. Dodd, teaching is not just a job. It is her passion! Fort Island is proud of Diana Dodd as Outstanding Educator of the Year.

Mrs. Diane Merkle is Herberich Primary’s 2009 Outstanding Educator of the Year. Her dedication to teaching is portrayed in everything she does in her daily routine. She is patient, consistent, focused and always calm. You could not ask for a better educator.

She takes time to make certain each student comprehends what she is teaching. She believes whole heartedly in the PTA motto “No Child Left Behind.” She has a kind demeanor and the students respond to her quiet leadership. She is a wonderful role model, and she never loses her temper or treats a child with anything but the utmost respect.

Her consistency in the classroom is so important to the environment she promotes. The children know what to expect each and every day and they know what the outcome is going to be if they don’t follow the rules. She encourages good behavior and uses proper communication skills to foster a learning atmosphere. Her students want to come to class each day.

She exemplifies great character and nobody does it better. Mrs. Merkle is truly a blessing for Herberich Primary School, and Herberich is a better school because of Mrs. Merkle.

Mr. Klein is a 7 th grade science teacher at CFMS. This year, Mr. Klein has taken the initiative to work with the administration and bus drivers to set a reliable pattern for students to find and board the buses. Several ideas have been implemented to ensure better safety of our students including new prominent safety markings at the bus loading area, consistent placing of the buses, and the use of a final boarding warning bell for the students.

Second, he initiated the formation of a discipline committee to facilitate communications between administration and staff.

However, what truly makes Mr. Klein so deserving is his attitude and connections he makes with students and in particular, students with difficulties at school or home. For example, it is not uncommon during his free time, to stop in the cafeteria and have lunch with a student. Many students come to him with issues and problems and he consistently gives his undivided attention and listens. These extra efforts are the reason CFMS PTA selected Mr. Klein as the recipient of our 2008 Educator of the Year award.

Copley High School ‘s Outstanding Educator is Miss Mary Ferrise. Miss Ferrise is an SLD (students with learning disabilities) tutor and coordinates the high school SLD tutoring department, assigning the students among 2 full-time and 4 part-time tutors.

As Mr. Borchik, CHS assistant principal, wrote, “Mary has become the defacto dean of our LD tutoring programming, mentoring all of our more recent hires. Her whole department leans on her for guidelines and direction.”

The parent who nominated Miss Ferrise wrote, “Mary Ferrise is greatly involved with the education of students who would not succeed without her. She encourages her students PAST their disabilities reaching a goal they never thought they would reach. She is their “safe place” and advocate in a busy school. The success that students reach through the tutelage of Mary Ferrise is astonishing. Through all the years of being in Copley, no teacher has ever taken the time to reach past our son’s limits to create a success story. She has taken the time to make his education fulfilling, positive, and successful. She contacts her students during breaks and over the summer to check on their productivity.”