Greg Prince: Charming the Fifth Grade.

Greg Prince, Hutchings Elementary

“Kids can learn and have fun at the same time…”

Howell graduate Greg Prince has taught 5th grade during his 14 year career in Howell Public Schools. Currently at Hutchings Elementary, Greg says his job is more fun than it is work. “I think that school should be fun! Kids can learn and have fun at the same time.”

Mr. Prince didn’t always know what he wanted to be when he grew up. Then, a college friend told him he would make a great elementary teacher. “The rest is history. I feel like I’m doing what I was meant to do!”

As a 5th grade teacher, Greg teaches all subjects but especially enjoys Science and Social Studies. “I love to learn new things and I try to convey that to the kids.  There are so many cool things out there to study and learn, and I encourage them to be life-long learners.”
A very important message Mr. Prince promotes to his students is: You never know what you can do until you try. “Kids need to feel relaxed in the classroom where they aren’t afraid to take risks, yet know the boundaries and expectations you have set.”

Outside of the classroom, Mr. Prince works on many school-wide projects to energize students in their learning. For March is Reading Month at Hutchings, he created a motivational film series using a Star Wars theme to encourage kids to read. Mr. Prince is well-known for building community in his school. “I’ve been fortunate to work with great people.  I’ve learned so much from my colleagues over the years and have made great friendships.”

Greg’s proudest moment as an educator is learning how his previous students are progressing as they grow into young adults. “I keep in touch with many (former students) and it’s always great to hear how they are doing.  Even though I only taught them for one year, it’s nice to think you made a positive impact on their lives.”

Erin McGrain: The Teaching Tigress!

Erin McGrain, Highlander Way Middle School

“What I love most about teaching is interacting with students and watching them grow socially and academically…”

While lots of great teachers seem to have been born knowing they’d end up leading a classroom someday, other equally skilled educators have discovered their true calling later in life–and almost accidentally. Erin McGrain, English/language arts teacher for 7th and 8th grade classes at Highlander Way Middle School, is one of them.

Having earned her first degree in psychology, Erin was already gearing up for a grad school stint towards an advanced degree in the subject when, short of cash, she decided to take jobs as a substitute teacher.

“Well,” she says, “I quickly fell in love with working with students in the classroom.”

And that was that: bye-bye advanced psychology degree, hello teacher training.

Now at the end of her second year teaching at Howell Public schools, Mrs. McGrain, an Eastern Michigan University Alumnus, says her number one goal is “to have a positive impact on student learning and achievement.”

Though Erin definitely feels she’s finally doing what she was born to do, she also admits that being an English teacher isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Her biggest obstacle? The curse of language arts teachers everywhere: there never seems to be enough time.

“The most challenging part of teaching is trying to work one-on-one with students. As an English teacher, it would be so beneficial to conference with each individual student about his or her writing, but the number of students we serve makes that very challenging.”

Perhaps that’s why Erin chose to found a Creative Writing Club at Highlander Way; to give students the individual attention and recognition essential to nurture their budding talents.

Outside of school, Mrs. McGrain is very involved in St. John’s Church in her hometown of Hartland, Michigan, where she volunteers as a religious education instructor.

When she’s finally done grading student writing, Erin shifts gears a bit and indulges in her secret passion: The Detroit Tigers. “My husband and I are huge fans and try and watch nearly every game,” she confesses. “Quite a social life, we have.”

Well, Let’s Go Tigers!  And Go, Mrs. McGrain!

Jennifer Starkey: A Guiding Light at Howell High School.

Jennifer Starkey, Howell High School

“It’s incredibly rewarding to watch students grow personally and academically.”

Nine years ago, Jennifer Starkey was hired to teach German with legendary Herr Parr.  Now, she’s a Guidance Counselor at Howell High School.

When asked what attracted her to the Counseling Department, Jennifer explains, “I love the connections I make with students. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them grow personally and academically.”

As a counselor, Jennifer spends time with students assisting them with academic goals, post-secondary goals, as well as personal goals.  “All students are unique, special individuals. I feel that high school students are especially passionate because they have so much idealism, unique opinions and ideas, and they feel they can change the world.  What a rewarding job to be around so much energy!”
While Frau Starkey held students to high standards as a language teacher, she has even higher goals as a counselor.  “I hope to successfully help students become citizens who are empowered and educated members of society, who are personally and academically successful, and who have concrete goals for their futures.”
Ms. Starkey adds, “One of the most rewarding parts of my job is running into former students and learning about their lives after high school. I am very proud of their personal and academic accomplishments.  I feel honored to have been a part of their educational journey while they were students here at Howell High School.”

Growing up in neighboring Perry, Michigan, Ms. Starkey relocated to Howell when she began teaching.  Jennifer has been extremely active in the Howell community throughout her career.  For the past 8 years, she has been the advisor of Howell High School’s Interact Club, which is a service organization that works closely with the Howell Rotary Club.  She also enjoys helping her husband with the Howell Unified Special Olympics Basketball team.  Jennifer is also a member of Livingston County’s Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International, a professional honor society of women educators.  In her spare time, she also plays the flute in the Livingston County Concert Band.

Beth Baker: Still Amazed by Students, After Over Two Decades.

Beth Baker: Voyager Elementary

“I love the students, their excitement, and being a part of their learning and growing…”

Beth Baker is a 5th grade teacher at Voyager Elementary.  Visit her classroom, and you’ll find a group of students in total awe and wonderment with learning–as well as with their teacher.

That kind of excitement in a class is contagious and can brighten up anyone’s day.  When asked what she loves about teaching, Beth said, “I love my job and am thankful for it every day. I love the students, their excitement, and being a part of their learning and growing. I love the laughter and the classroom community that is built each year together.”

Every teacher has a mission she wishes to accomplish with students, and Ms. Baker is no different.  “My hope as a teacher is that each year I create a safe, warm learning environment for all students. My hope is that I am ever changing,  always trying new ideas, and always reminding myself that it is all about the kids.”

Beth also shares that her proudest accomplishment as a teacher is “that a-ha moment that students have in their learning journey. It is so exciting and they are so very proud of themselves! They truly amaze me!”

Beth began her teaching career on an Indian reservation in New Mexico before coming to Howell in 1994.  This summer, she will be participating in her 12th youth mission trip, which takes her all over the United States.  Ms. Baker is an active member of Grace Lutheran Church.  She participates in local charity events, such as the Crop Walk and Relay for Life.  She is also an active volunteer for Recycle Livingston, as well as United Way.

Highlander Way’s Matt Gabbert on Professional Mission…and Attire.

Matt Gabbert, Highlander Way M.S.

“If students fail, so does Michigan…”

And now for something a little different…

Matt Gabbert, who began teaching English/language arts at Highlander Way Middle School in the fall of 2007, was not one of the teachers selected for this month’s educator profiles, though he definitely deserves to be.

Instead, we wanted to wedge in this invitation to read Mr. Gabbert’s reflections on teaching as published in the April, 2009 issue of the MEA Voice.

The Michigan Education Association invited new teachers to share their musings on the state of the profession and Matt, who began teaching English at Highlander Way in the fall of 2007, had plenty to say on the topic. In his essay, Mr. Gabbert cites effective teaching as the real key to long-term economic recovery for our state.

It’s no accident that Matt’s sartorial splashes often incorporate tasteful shades of green: he earned his B.A. in English at Michigan State. He followed that up by earning teacher certification at Eastern Michigan University where he majored in English and minored in mathematics.

Mr. Gabbert says, “The most enriching moments as a teacher are when you finally see that students are connecting to you personally and professionally in their studies. Anytime you reach a point where students value their own success as much as you do personally, then you know you are continuing to be an effective teacher.”

Click this MEA Voice link to read his essay online. You’ll find it on page 22 of the publication.

ADDENDUM: Following this post, Matt was selected as an exemplary teacher for May, as predicted. Congratulations, Mr. Gabbert.

Cindy Perlman: A Call to Action that People Notice!

Cindy Perlman, Freshman Campus

“I can’t think of anything more rewarding than seeing students proud of something they’ve achieved…”

Freshman Campus teacher Cindy Perlman is more than just a teacher of Family Consumer Science and English–she creates opportunities for her students to make community connections as well.  A former food scientist for a potato producer in Idaho, Cindy found her way back to her initial dream of becoming a teacher just 5 short years ago.  “ I’d wanted to be a teacher since I was in elementary school, but chose a different career pathway since there weren’t many teaching jobs available in the late ‘70’s–or so I was told.”

What would entice someone to make such a dramatic career change?  “What I love most about teaching is having the opportunity to inspire students to dream big, think outside the box, and feel a sense of empowerment,”  Ms. Perlman says.  “I believe that personal connections with the students are incredibly important. Those relationships are often what motivate students (and teachers) to put forth their best efforts.”

One of the classes Cindy teaches is called Freshman Focus.  In it, students gain a greater understanding of who they are, gain insight about the way in which they think and learn, as well as develop strategies to improve school performance.  Time management, organization skills and goal-setting are included in the strategies, which are intended to assist beginning high school students on a successful path toward commencement.   Ms. Perlman has been an instrumental person in creating this course to provide a sound foundation for our 9th graders.  “I hope that I inspire students to take a risk and attempt something they might have otherwise considered unattainable.   I can’t think of anything more rewarding than seeing students proud of something they’ve achieved, especially if they’ve ever doubted their ability to do so.”

One of the tremendous achievements of her students can be seen in an annual service project to benefit the homeless of Livingston County.  Ms. Perlman is responsible for this project, and the enthusiasm of her students has been key to its huge success.  “A Call to Action—End Homelessness” will be in its 4th year.  One hundred student volunteers raised over $9,000 last year, camping out on the lawn of the Freshman Campus for a weekend, sleeping in cardboard boxes with limited food and amenities.  Students also had to give up their cell phones and other electronic devices.  They learned a lot from this experience, and participation is expected to increase to 200 students this year.  The tentative date for this year’s event is April 24-25th.  Community members are encouraged to stop by and visit the participants, donate food or money, or any other means of support.

In her spare time, Ms. Perlman is also currently a member of the Teacher Education Committee at Madonna University and serves as an adjunct instructor in Madonna University’s College of Education.

Lonna Bemben: Follow the Music!

Lonna Bemben, Northwest Elementary School

“Music teaches and touches us all inside…”

Lonna Bemben has spent most of her life singing and playing music. But when the time to go off to college came around, her parents had other plans. They didn’t think that society would value a musician or music educator as Lonna had been hoping to become.

With that in mind, Lonna dutifully went on to study nursing and became a R.N., beginning her career in a downtown Detroit hospital and, when her family relocated to the Hartland, working at the University of Michigan Hospitals. Caring for infants and children born with heart problems, she began using music to calm them and bring a little joy into their otherwise stressful lives. It worked. “And that’s when I fully realized the value of music,” she says. “It goes far beyond entertainment,”  Lonna adds. “Music teaches and touches us all inside.”

Lonna returned to school to obtain a music education degree at Eastern Michigan University. Now enjoying her eighth year of teaching with Howell Public Schools,  she currently teaches general music at Northwest Elementary School. “I have the best job in the world. I get children excited about learning. I get to lead them towards discovering how music integrates with all subject areas. I get to share with them how cultures have used music when they had nothing else left to hold on to; how we celebrate the good times with music and how we mourn  with it as well.  Music brings learning alive and brings meaning to learning.  It’s about seeing a child’s face light up when something touches them deep inside and they make a connection. That’s what teaching is all about,” Mrs. Bemben asserts.

In addition to teaching, Lonna is married and a mother of three children. Her eldest son Christopher is graduating from Ferris State this year with a degree in accounting and her second son Jonathan is a freshman at University of Detroit-Mercy studying biology and playing lacrosse. Her third son Ross is a junior at Hartland High School. Ross plays tennis and lacrosse and hopes to further his education in engineering in a couple of years.

Is there a lesson to be learned in Mrs. Bemben’s story?  Sure: when you hear that distant music of your true calling, pay attention and  follow it. If you’re as persistent as Lonna, you’ll catch up, no matter how long it takes to get there.

Dallas Tatman: Making Learning a Red Carpet Affair.

Dallas Tatman, Three Fires Middle School

“I love knowing that what I am doing now will pay dividends for students…”

Dallas Tatman is an extremely dynamic instructor of 7th grade Eastern Hemisphere studies at Three Fires Middle School.  When asked what he loves about teaching, Mr. Tatman says, “I love knowing that what I am doing now will pay dividends for students both academically and professionally as they continue their careers.”  Having spent a decade in the Howell School District, Dallas is responsible for developing as well as teaching the History vs. Hollywood course of study that is offered as an “encore” choice for students.

Mr. Tatman not only strives to instill in his students a love of learning, he wants them to celebrate it!  “Just as art can be appreciated for the sake of art, learning for the sake of learning should be celebrated.  I want my students to be voracious, yet savvy consumers of information.  If they question the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’, then I will have been successful”.  In addition to giving his students a thirst for knowledge, Dallas also strives to build community within his classroom.  “I hope to create an environment in which they feel a social responsibility to treat each other with kindness and understanding.  Watching them mature and take responsibility for the success and happiness of their peers is a rewarding experience.”

So what is it about teaching that makes it so worthwhile for this Howell teacher?  “My proudest moments occur when classes get so excited about learning and being a community that it becomes the ‘cool’ thing to do.  Seeing students experience success and then building on that success is probably the most gratifying part of teaching.  It involves breaking down barriers that some students have built up for years.”

Mr. Tatman is also a proud father of a daughter currently attending Highlander Way Middle School.

Davalyn Kafka: Teaching 1st Grade, A Career Based On Caring.

Davalyn Kafka, Challenger Elementary.

“I love teaching children because I love children…”

For 35 years in the Howell Public Schools District, Davalyn Kafka has been a first grade fixture.  She began the first half of her career at Southeast Elementary, and the other half on the west side of town at Challenger Elementary.  One year between, she taught at Southwest.

What is it about teaching that keeps teachers like Ms. Kafka refreshed year after year?  “I love teaching children because I love children.  I love their honestly, forgiving nature, natural humor and all the hugs and warm smiles I get.  I love to see their faces light up when they figure out that they are reading and I love it when I can make them feel better about the littlest thing.  I feel so blessed to have chosen a career that I have loved and continue to love every day.”

Ms. Kafka strives to accomplish many things with her first grade students.  “I always hope that I will instill a feeling of self-worth in every child, as well as a love of reading and of learning.   I try to encourage them to do their best daily and to take responsibility for their learning.  I explain to them that we both have jobs in school; mine is to teach and their job is to learn as much as they can.”

Davalyn reflects over many rewarding experiences during her teaching career.  “Some of the greatest ones would be when children come back and tell me how much they enjoyed our time together.  Another would be when I am invited to graduation parties, celebrations and even weddings of former students.  One more would be when former students tell me that I played a part in their career choice of becoming a teacher.  That is a great compliment.”

Ms. Kafka has spent her life work in the Howell district, but is a community member here as well.  Her children are all graduates of Howell.  When she is not in the classroom, Davalyn enjoys traveling to Europe with her daughter, as well as visiting with former high school classmates regularly at Lake Michigan.  She also likes to roll up her sleeves and sharpen her culinary skills, and is an ardent fan of the Food Channel.  In recent years, Davalyn has also given to her community serving as a Big Sister to a former student, and also coached Girls on the Run at Challenger after school.

Zach Kasprzak: Getting Along Swimmingly.

Zack Kasprzak, Howell High School

“I love the opportunity to excite students about science and encourage critical thinking and analysis.”

High School Science teacher and swim coach Zach Kasprzak has the best of both worlds: he builds relationships with students both inside and outside the classroom.

Enjoying 6 years in the Howell District of his 9 year career, Zach currently teaches Physics and Chemistry. “I love the opportunity to excite students about science and encourage critical thinking and analysis.” He adds ambitiously, “My ultimate hope in teaching is to be part of training the greatest generation of Americans since the WWII generation to reassert America’s prestige in the world.”

High hopes and energy permeate his diligent efforts with students, both in academics and athletics. Outside the classroom, Zach has been actively involved in the Howell Swimming Community. He has been the Head Coach for the Varsity Girls Swim Team for 4 seasons, and he is the current Head Coach of the 2nd year Boys Varsity Team. His team rules the pool, winning 9 meets this season, as well as taking first place in the Lakeland Invitational.

Outside of the fast lane, Zach enjoys outdoor activities like fishing and hunting. He also plays the guitar and the banjo. Zach and his wife live in the Howell District with their son and daughter who attend Southwest Elementary, as well as their young twin boys.

Janet Elliott: Building Solid Learning Foundations for Three Decades.

Janet Elliott, Hutchings Elementary

“It brings me great joy to watch first graders grow both socially and academically…”

Janet Elliott has taught in Howell for thirty years. She began her career at Southwest Elementary School teaching second grade. She also taught kindergarten, seventh and eighth grade math English and elementary music. She’s now a twenty-two year first grade veteran, having taught at both Northwest and at Hutchings Elementary.

“I wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember and have always loved children,” Janet says. “It brings me great joy to watch first graders grow both socially and academically. I have always enjoyed seeing the children come to school each day with huge smiles and enthusiasm. They are so excited to talk with their teacher and share everything that is important and special to them. I love to be that listening ear that can both enjoy them and guide them. Those who aren’t coming to school with smiles and enthusiasm need that special person who cares about them and makes them feel that they are important each and every day. I want to be that person for them so they are happy and ready to learn while at school.”

When students master the essential skills that lead to lifelong learning, Mrs. Elliott knows she’s on the right track. “I know I’ve done my job when I hear ‘I can read this book!’ or ‘I wrote the numbers all the way to 700!’ in that expressive voice that little children use so well. I try to make learning fun and something to be celebrated. My goal is to convey a lifelong love of learning and to promote putting forth a personal best effort in each endeavor.”

Janet and her husband celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in August, they reside in Hartland and have three children. Her daughter Jamie is an alumnus of Michigan Sate university and is attending University of Michigan’s Nursing School and will graduate in August 2009. Her older son Nick,is in Civil Engineering at Michigan State and will graduate in 2010. Youngest son Jeff is a junior at Hartland High School and is planning to pursue a career as a commercial pilot.

“With children in college, it’s always fun when they are together as a complete family. They enjoy camping, weekends up north, MSU football games, and anything else that affords an opportunity to get back together,” Mrs. Elliott says.

Active in her community, Janet is a member of Hartland United Methodist Church, the Hartland Women’s Club, and the Hartland High School PTO.

Kathy Lester: School Library Media Specialist Extraordinaire.

Kathy Lester, Three Fires Middle School

“It’s such a great feeling when a reluctant reader comes back to me with a book I’ve recommended and says ‘I loved it and I want more!’”

Kathy Lester has been the certified school library media specialist at Three Fires Middle School for seven years. She says she loves working with middle school students because of their diverse interests and enthusiasm. She also loves collaborating and working with the staff at Three Fires. “There is no better staff in the district! The teachers truly care about the education and well being of their students.”

Kathy hopes to instill a love of reading in as many students as possible. She collaborates with teachers to teach and encourage reading, informational literacy, and life-long learning. As a librarian, she strives to provide materials and services to implement, enrich, and support the curriculum of Three Fires Middle School and to meet the individual educational, emotional, and recreational needs of students.

Mrs. Lester says the best part about teaching happens when a reluctant reader comes back to her with books that she has recommended and says that he/she loved them and wants to read more. Kathy has helped countless Three Fires students get hooked on reading with lunch time activities during Read Week, offering wonderful Book Fairs, and starting up after school reading groups with novels from around the world. She is an avid reader herself and Mrs. Lester makes sure she’s always available to recommend great books to middle school students.

Interested in education both when on and off the library floor, Kathy is also a certified judge for the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association, an organization that encourages and showcases secondary students’ public speaking skills. She’s been judging forensics association competitions for about four years.

Mrs. Lester has been married for 28 years and has been a Brighton resident throughout. Her son is a student at Brown University this year and she is truly “Green”-having degrees from Michigan State University (BA-Mathematics), Eastern Michigan University (MS- Mathematics) and Wayne State University (MLIS- Library and Information Science).

Pretty good academic creds. But her private-sector backgrounds are equally impressive: Kathy worked for 15 years as director of operations and as a software engineer for a computer software company in Ann Arbor before coming back to teaching. As a part of her job she got to “fly” the F/A-18 trainer system and was project manager on the company’s portion of the Special Operations Forces Aircrew Training System.

What does a school librarian do when she wants to kick back? Well, toss those fuddy-duddy librarian stereotypes out the window ’cause this one spends much of her free time downhill skiing and scuba diving. She also loves to travel, experiment with new technologies, and, yeah, of course, she also loves to read. (Not all stereotypes are negative ones.)

Kathy has also been the Art Support Organization chairperson at her son’s school for four years and she was involved with many arts activities such as: costuming the fall play, photographing arts activities, coaching forensics students, organizing receptions for concerts, assisting with the annual writing awards reception, decorating for the annual Halloween Concert, feeding cast and crew meals during the Tech Week of productions, chaperoning Improv Club field trips and more.

What do certified school library media specialists contribute to a given school? Based on Kathy Lester’s resume, a lot of everything.

For data supporting the fact that professionally staffed libraries lead to enhanced student achievement, click here.

To watch a short video on 21st century school library media programs in our state click here.

Jill Pennell: A Terrific, Time-Warp Teacher.

Jill Pennell, Northwest Elementary

“It’s rewarding to contribute to a school that’s a safe and comfortable place for students to be.”

Who says you can’t go home again? Jill Pennell, currently in her twenty-ninth year of teaching, did just that. She began her career teaching special education in Hartland middle and high schools before going “back to the future” where she’s been ever since. She’s now happily teaching fifth grade at Northwest Elementary, the very same school she attended from first through eighth grade.

What’s it like to have a real-life Welcome Back, Kotter experience? “It’s really something to return to your old elementary school stomping grounds as an adult,” Jill says. “Many, many memories come rolling back.”

What Mrs. Pennell enjoys most about teaching are her students. “I love their smiles, sense of humor, love of learning and the fact that they’re eager to come to school each and every day. I just love to hear, ‘good morning, Mrs. Pennell’ or ‘have a nice evening, Mrs. Pennell.’ It’s rewarding to contribute to a school that’s a safe and comfortable place for students to be. And knowing that students will have many accomplishments and feel good about themselves is the absolute best.”

Jill’s proud to have ongoing personal relationships with students she taught in the beginning of her teaching career. “It’s heart-warming to see families who value education,” she says.

She should know–she’s part of one herself.

Mrs. Pennell is extremely proud of her own three children who have each pursued their individual professional careers with determination and focus. Her oldest son, Michael, is an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island, specializing in rhetoric and writing. Her two grandchildren, whom she calls “the joy of my life,” live on the east coast. On the opposite side of the continent, both her second son Kristopher and her daughter Kim reside in California. Kristopher is a promo editor at CBS, and Kim works for Proctor & Gamble Professional Beauty Care as a production manager.

While she and her husband Chuck are now empty-nesters, Jill finds some positives in the situation. “It isn’t all bad; there’s always a place to visit and I love to travel.

Active in her church, St. John’s Episcopal, Jill also keeps busy reading historical nonfiction and biographies. She has a bit of a wild side, too: she’s been seriously thinking about parachuting.

“What better way to mark my sixtieth birthday?!”

Kristine Shantry: A Government Teacher Who’s Not Laissez-faire.

Ms. Kristine Shantry, Howell High School

“It is important to me that students know I care about their success inside and outside of the classroom…”

High School Social Studies teacher Kristine Shantry has a passion for government. That’s one of the reasons why she is an advisor for the Michigan Youth in Government club. “The kids get a real hands-on experience of government in action. I absolutely love seeing the kids in action and being a part of their team”.

A part of the Howell Public Schools team for only 6 years, Ms. Shantry also loves teaching U.S. History. She was inspired to become a teacher as early as the 7th grade. In turn, she strives to inspire others. “I’ve had former students tell me they went into teaching history because of me. That is the biggest compliment anyone can pay me”.

For Ms. Shantry, it is more than just the content she teaches—she also strives to teach lessons that will help students be successful in the real world. “It is important to me that students know I care about their success inside and outside of the classroom. It is nice to know that former students still keep in contact and let me know that I had a positive impact on them during their years here.”

Ms. Shantry is a proud mother of 3 year old Keira and lives with her husband in Fenton. She enjoys water-skiing and spending her summers up north at the family cottage.

If you’re reading this post prior to December 12, 2008, you’re in luck. You have a chance to witness Ms. Shantry as she tries on a completely new role: Catch her theatrical debut as she plays Old Josephine in Howell High School’s production of A Christmas Carol, December 12th-14th.

Ashley Jolin: Simply Loving It.

Ashley Jolin, Voyager Elementary

“It’s truly wonderful having students who run into the classroom, with toothless grins, so ready to learn.”

If you believe that the first qualification for being an excellent educator is relishing the challenge and opportunity that is teaching, then Ashley Jolin is probably someone to whom you’d feel very comfortable sending your beloved five-year-old each school day.

After eight years teaching kindergarten at Voyager Elementary School, Mrs. Jolin continues to consider each day a privilege. “It’s brought me so much joy and laughter!” she says.  “It is truly wonderful having students who run into the classroom, with toothless grins, so ready to learn.  It is a welcome challenge each and every day to expand their horizons and teach them valuable lifelong lessons.  As a teacher of kindergartners, I feel that my most important objective is to create an environment that is full of energy, new wonders and love.”

Ashley adds,  “Watching my students leave for first grade feeling so great about themselves and their learning” tops her list of proudest teaching accomplishments.

Teaching kindergarten is a notoriously high-demand gig, but Mrs. Jolin somehow finds the energy to join her husband coaching 8th grade girls’ basketball in Livingston County.  “It is so much fun working with different ages of children” she gushes.  “I truly believe that working with kids allows me to have a world that is full of energy, new wonders, and love!”

It’s pretty obvious: Ashley Jolin has an attitude. Fortunately, it’s exactly the one you’d want your kindergartner to face each and every day, setting the stage for a dozen more positive and productive years of public education.

Michele Schafer: A True Team Player.

Michele Schafer, Freshman Campus

“Team teaching offers the best setting for all students…”

Michele Schafer is clearly a believer in the educational power of community–she both contributes to it and benefits from it in her personal and professional life. In her eighteenth year as a Howell Public Schools teacher, she’s currently teamed-up with Kathy McClure and Dave McCall teaching biology, and she also teaches AI Transitions, a class designed to support autistic students.

“There are several things that I love about teaching,” she says. “First, I love seeing a student accomplish something that they never thought was possible. I love watching as a student’s level of self-confidence grows and enjoy seeing the look of pride in their eyes. I also love the fact that Howell Public Schools works hard to include all students in academic and social activities. Team-teaching offers the best setting for all students. I love working with such a wonderful group of people both within my teamed classes and throughout the building. As a teacher I hope to create an environment that will allow all students to be successful. That is, I work to develop support strategies that will help students with various disabilities be successful within the general education setting. I strive to provide the highest level of support to both my general and special education colleagues. I believe that when teachers and support staff work together, and share their vast array of knowledge and experiences, everyone benefits.”

Michele says that one of her proudest moments in teaching happened when a young man who had struggled academically came back to thank her during his senior year in high school. “He told me that he had failed to follow through with everything that I had taught him and, as a result, his grades had suffered. He said that he had struggled to follow through on tasks and thanked me for always being there to support and encourage him during his first year of high school. He added that he was now using all of the strategies that I had taught him as a freshman to be more successful as a senior.”

Once academically at-risk, that grateful student was then in the process of applying for college admission.

Being a positive part of a community yields circular benefits. Mrs. Schafer, now a mother of three, grew up in Howell and graduated from the High School. She wound up team-teaching with people who’d once helped teach her. Michele gets that equation, which may be one of the reasons why she ‘s so involved in activities at Highlander Way Middle School and Challenger Elementary–the schools her children now attend. She’s also active in the St. John Catholic Church of Hartland and in youth hockey programs.

If you believe that teaching “takes a village,” Michele Schafer is definitely a villager you’d want on your team.

Kathy Harris: Hands-On Learning Makes Cents.

Kathy Harris, Northeast Elementary

“It always thrills me to see the moment the ‘light bulb’ is lit and hear a student say, ‘now I get it!'”

In her thirty-fifth year teaching in Howell Public Schools, Kathy Harris is currently team-teaching 2nd grade, but has also taught Early Fives, Readiness, Kindergarten, and Fourth grade. “The best part of teaching is definitely the kids,” she says. ” I love to watch them as they learn and grow throughout the year, not just academically, but socially and emotionally too. Besides the hugs and kind words that you get every day from the students, it always thrills me to see the moment the ‘light bulb’ is lit and you hear them say, ‘Now I get it!’  As a teacher my goal is always to make learning a fun experience, to enable the students to be the best that they can be, and to instill in them a love of learning.”

Mrs. Harris believes that learning is most meaningful when it’s hands-on and relates to the real world. “One of the things that I think has helped my students achieve meaningful learning and have real life experience is our program called Super Kids, Inc. Economics is one of the topics that we teach in second grade so to make this more meaningful we have a ‘business’ that makes and sells products to our student body. The children take real ownership in their products and are very proud to be able to sell these to their peers. To take this a step further–and help them to understand the importance of community involvement and giving back to our community–we use any profits to help area organizations that are in the business of helping others.”

At home, she’s a wife and mother of two girls, both of whom have teaching degrees.   Kathy’s oldest daughter works in a corporate office in a suburb of Chicago, and her youngest teams up with her husband as a pair of inner-city missionaries in Los Angeles.

Family, faith and friendship are central in Kathy Harris’ life. “Our favorite times together have always been camping trips with our friends. Michigan, of course, remains our favorite place to camp! I am very active with my church, teaching children and adults, and am also a coordinator of a personal economics program called Financial Peace University.”

Financial peace, eh? We could all use a bit more of that.

Carole Colburn: Model Teacher, Mentor…and Madam Mayor?

Carole Colburn, Highlander Way Middle School

“There is nothing in the world like seeing a student taking responsibility for his or her own learning and watching that student succeed.”

Carole Colburn has done a lot of stuff. Once a substitute teacher in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and a technology trainer in the private sector, Carole came to Howell Public Schools nine years ago. She initially served as the District Instructional Technologist, helping train teachers and staff to use software applications to enhance curriculum and streamline management.  After three years training adults, she was shifted into classroom teaching at Highlander Way Middle School where she now teaches technology classes to all middle school grade levels.

“I currently teach Multi-Media Presentations, Elements of Web Design and Lights, Camera, Screen Education. These are all classes I developed specifically to meet the state’s technology Grade-Level Content Expectations and benchmarks,” she says, adding “I love my job; teaching is the best job in the world. The thing I love most about it is getting to be a part of guiding students into being totally engaged in the learning process.  I strive each and every day to be a positive influence in the lives of the students I teach and those I interact with.  By being a positive influence, I feel that I can make a difference in student’s lives. In some cases, we all know that we as teachers may be the only person who actually believes in the student and his or her ability to succeed. They may not get that from anyone else.”

Mrs. Colburn’s teaching excellence has not gone unnoticed. She’s been the recipient of numerous awards and grants bringing in thousands of dollars worth of free, new technology and benefiting the entire school community in the process. For Carole, though, teaching technology is not all about hardware and software, it’s about the human touch. “I have been recognized for various projects and am very proud of each of them. Mostly though, I am proud of my ability to bring a positive influence into the daily climate at Highlander Way. Additionally, I work diligently at creating a safe, positive, 21st century learning environment that allows students to think outside of the box and encourages them to take responsibility for their own learning.”

Actively involved in the Michigan Association for Computer-related Technology Users in Learning (MACUL) and the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE), she also has a civic leadership role people may be less aware of: she’s the mayor of the Village of Dansville, Michigan.

Jayne Williams: Healthy Lives are Happy Lives.

Jayne Williams, Challenger Elementary

“I love the laughter and smiles I get from the kids and knowing I’m making a difference in their lives..”

In her sixth year of teaching Physical Education at Challenger Elementary,  Jayne Williams knows that happy smiles and healthy lifestyles go hand-in hand.

” I really want to be able to show the kids how important it is to take care of their bodies, and to teach them how to do that.  I hope it’ll show them how much I care about them.”

Jayne’s proud to have been able to create differently themed field days each year–from boot camp to career Olympics–involving the community as much as possible. Local veterans, the fire department, and Howell Armory personnel are among those she’s recruited to promote healthy lifestyles. It’s not just Howell’s adults that help make field days a community event, though. “Lots of important input and ideas come from a group of fifth graders, too,” she adds.

She’s been the coach of the Howell Sea Serpents for the last five years and is also a youth group sponsor at Brighton Christian Church.

Does Jayne Williams have a life outside of teaching? A rich one. She’s played volleyball with her sister at the University of Michigan and she’s currently a photographer with the Howell Fire Department.

Marilyn McEvoy: Three Decades and Still Changin’

Marilyn McEvoy, Freshman Campus

“We learn by doing. I hope students learn that it’s safe not to be right the first time…”

About to mark her thirtieth year as a teacher, Marilyn McEvoy, currently teaching child development and psychology, foods and health at the Freshman Campus, realizes that life and learning are all about change. She lists among her proudest accomplishments “adjusting to multiple personal and professional changes, through hard work and dedication.”

She realizes that her students need to go through the same process. “I love doing an activity the second or third time around and seeing how much better the kids get at it because I get better teaching it; giving directions, providing resources and reviewing it with them.  I hope that all students feel they can and do contribute something positive to the learning situation; that we learn by doing and mistakes are only things we don’t know yet. I hope kids learn that it’s safe to not be right the first time. And I hope they develop work habits that will lead them towards quality, excellence and a desire to do their best.”

Marilyn’s most proud of having pushed to start a child care program at Howell High and built a co-op program that’s grown from 22 students to 140 over a five year period. She’s active when away from school, too. She’s heavily involved in her Fowlerville United Bretheren Church and has served as a Trustee on the Fowlerville District Library Board for six years.

What don’t most people know about Marilyn McEvoy? “I drive with my left foot,” she tells us.

Really? Well, luckily, there’s still plenty of time to change.

Bonnie Buck: Middle School Math, Science…and, maybe, Art?

Bonnie Buck, Three Fires Middle School

“I couldn’t imagine teaching anywhere else…”

Though she’s taught in Howell Schools her entire career, Bonnie Buck, currently teaching program success, science and pre-algebra at Three Fires Middle School wouldn’t have it any other way.  A veteran with experience in three different buildings, she says she enjoys Three Fires most of all because of the helpful colleagues and pleasant aesthetics. “I truly enjoy working with the staff at Three Fires,” she says, “they’re the best, always willing to work together towards common goals. It’s also a beautiful building to walk into every morning.”

Mrs. Buck says the biggest challenges in education lie in the task of taking a prescribed, bare-bones curriculum, fleshing it out and transforming it into something that’s both educational and enjoyable. Again, she thanks her colleagues for teaming up with her to take on this job.

A married mom with three children, her son Brandon is finishing up college at her Alma Mater, Central Michigan University. Likewise, her daughter Kristyn is also following in her footsteps to a certain degree, substitute teaching in Howell and looking for a permanent teaching job. Her son Steven is an attorney for the State of Kentucky.

Bonnie thinks the best part of teaching is when former students visit and reminisce. “I want my students to have good memories of eighth grade, and many students who come back to see me bring up many ‘remember whens’ and let me know that they’ve wound up making good choices based on something that happened or was covered in my class.”

Active on committees ranging from those that help define curriculum, earn the school deserved recognition, and enhance its social life, this recognized and esteemed science and math teacher may have a flip side that people are less familiar with: she’s also the artist responsible for painting all the wolf mascots and teacher names next to Three Fire’s classroom doors.