2014 Teachers of the Year in Nebo School District

Submitted by lana.hiskey on

The 2014 Teachers of the Year are selected by their peers in each school. Congratulations to all of these teachers that represent the quality of educators in Nebo School District.

Photos include Association Representative Sherilyn Woodhouse, Superintendent Rick Nielsen, Teacher of the Year for each school, and Elementary Director Julie Warren.

Nebo School District Teacher of the Year--Michelle Mecham, Mt. Loafer
Michelle fosters effective relationships. She believes in the importance of working with students, parents, and colleagues to build a great rapport and strong relationships. Michelle’s ability to build strong relationships is the reason she has earned the KSL Teacher Feature, Mt. Loafer Crystal Apple, and now, Teacher of the Year.

Art City – Sandy Sutton
Sandy is one of the kindest and hardworking teachers. She loves children and is genuinely concerned about each one of them. Sandy can be found working one-on-one with students to help them learn a new concept or master a new behavior. Sandy contributes to the culture of our school in a motivating and positive way. She is a master teacher and highly effective in the lives of the students at our school.

Barnett – Gwen Spencer
Gwen is an important member of our faculty and a true leader. I respect and appreciate her hard work ethic and pleasant attitude. She has played in integral role in implementing “I Can Statements” into our teaching. She helped create amazing units where the students learn about social science, manners, work ethic, and self-esteem. She has an energetic, yet calm, teaching style. Gwen is fun and created a whole reading theme around Reading Super Heroes. Gwen makes a difference every day.

Brockbank – Janna Runolfson
Janna has dedication and enthusiasm for the education profession. She is an outstanding teacher. She believes every child is capable of success. She structures her lessons so that students on every level can achieve mastery. Janna works personally to towards mastering her skills as a teacher. She earned a master’s degree and various endorsements. Janna is a leader and is always positive and willing to help.

Brookside – Amy Bird
Amy has provided interventions for those students that struggle. She is organized and a skilled teacher. Amy truly loves her students and loves what she does every day. Amy cares about each child and works extremely hard to help them. She is leaving a legacy for her students to become life-long learners.

Canyon – Jamie Hamblin
Jamie is a leader in implementing and supporting professional learning communities. Her positive approach and personable attitude have made a big difference in the lives of her students and those that associate with her. Even with changes, Jamie goes right to work and has become a valued member of her team with a dedication and vision of student achievement. We are all inspired and uplifted with her focus on her students.

Cherry Creek – Chelsie Bergera
Chelsie is the heart and soul of kindergarten. She loves her students and works like crazy to help them succeed. Chelsie’s students face many challenges. She makes it her personal mission to have them reading by the end of the year. I would want my own child in her class. Chelsie is a dream teacher and is loved by students, parents, and staff.

East Meadows – Jalizabeth Hamberlin
Jalizabeth is a true master teacher. She has a marvelous understanding of speech and language issues and uses that knowledge to bring learning to life for her students. She knows current and best practices and has a special way of being able to encourage other therapists to introduce these techniques to their own students. She has a great rapport and serves as a leader. She makes others feel welcome. Everyone who knows her, loves her.

Foothills – Ronda Griffin
Ronda has a positive influence on her students and their parents as well as with her team, colleagues, and other school staff. She has a genuine concern for each of her students and goes above and beyond to help them feel successful. Ronda’s students know she loves and cares about them. She is an effective teacher and a tremendous asset to Foothills.

Goshen – Nate Holt
Nate is a person of integrity and caring. He continually demonstrates dedication and capacity as a leader by being positive, teachable, and skilled in his associations with all members of the school community. He persistently reflects on how to improve not only his ability to teach, but how to help teachers and paraprofessionals advance their skills. His passion for learning and teaching is evident in everything he does.

Hobble Creek – Michael-Ann McAfee
Michael-Ann goes the extra mile to help students and co-workers. She has been given some challenging students. She meets their needs head-on and finds the best way to reach each student. She has made home visits, extra tracking programs, reads the latest research, and attends conferences to help these students. Michael-Ann is willing to help and lend a hand wherever she can.

Larsen – Becky Greene
Becky demonstrates hard work and dedication for her students and faculty. She steps in and volunteers to help colleagues. Becky is truly a compassionate person. She has the ‘can do’ attitude and strives to instill that in each of her students. Becky has the finite ability in literacy to identify and help students overcome weaknesses and make them strengths.

Mapleton – Emily Blaisdell
Emily is a teacher that is a life-long learner, constantly looking for ways to improve the educational experience of her students. She is a competent and contributing member of her team and runs a well-managed classroom. Emily is committed to her students. She works effectively with children of various abilities and aptitudes. After being in her class, her students exhibit significant growth in all academic areas.

Mt. Loafer – Michelle Mecham
Michelle fosters effective relationships. She believes in the importance of working with students, parents, and colleagues to build a great rapport and strong relationships. Michelle’s ability to build strong relationships is the reason she has earned the KSL Teacher Feature, Mt. Loafer Crystal Apple, and now, Teacher of the Year.

Orchard Hills – Stephanie Wood
Stephanie Wood is the epitome of a great teacher. She gives so much of herself to the school and her students. Miss Wood helps the faculty with any computer issue and maintains the school’s website.  She works one-on-one with her students, helping them to reach their full potential. Miss Wood gives her students a sense of self-worth.

Park – Cheryl Leifson
Cheryl loves coming to school early and putting on inspirational music. What magic will take place in her classroom today?
Cheryl teaches from the heart and gets to know each student individually and stirs in them a desire to create.

Park View – Laura McAllister
Laura is an outstanding teacher, participative team member, and overall excellent educational professional. She has skilled management and compassion for her students.  Laura mentors others through effective communication skills and active listening skills. Laura goes above and beyond her prescribed duties. She truly cares about her students.

Rees – Sarah Ledingham
Sarah is one of the best teachers I have ever observed in every aspect of education. She is knowledgeable. One of Sarah’s greatest strengths is her ability to work positively with others. She has a happy personality and an excitement for teaching that transfers to her students and others at our school. Sarah’s students love her. She is a powerful educator that truly makes a difference.

Riverview – Shalese Rogers
Shalese has exceptional skills as a teacher. She is calm, kind, and very aware of the needs of others. When she sees an area of concern for a child, she teaches strategies to help that child succeed. Shalese is willing to share her talents and expertise with other faculty members. She never gives up or stops trying to help a child understand and feel loved.

Sage Creek – Michelle Egbert
Michelle is one of the finest teachers that I have witnessed in my twenty-five year career. She is an expert in classroom management and instruction. Her class is a family that supports each other in learning. Students each have a job and feel a valued member of the class. Michelle is a passionate advocate for student learning, a dedicated teacher with a phenomenal record of high test scores, individual growth scores, and more importantly, engaged and happy students.

Salem – Pam Haney
Pam is able to help students with disabilities. She puts forth undying effort to help them succeed. Most importantly, Pam instills self-confidence in these children. She will put in countless hours to help struggling students learn the basics of math and reading. Pam is a blessing to all those students that she teaches.

Santaquin – Willetta Hogan
Willetta is a dedicated teacher who plans for success with each of her students. She has a love for teaching and students. Willetta finds a way to integrate the fine arts into every lesson and unit. Her students consistently learn through projects they create, share, and display. She is a leader among her peers and gives direction and focus to her team. Willetta’s productive attitude, devoted character, and passion towards learning make her an asset to our school community.

Sierra Bonita – Shami Coley
Shami has a desire to help and assist students, teachers, and staff members continually by sharing of her time and resources. She has an enthusiasm for teaching, which is evident in all of her words and actions. Shami creates a classroom environment that is warm and inviting, and where each student is motivated to achieve and to be actively engaged in learning.

Spanish Oaks – Angela Olsen
I admire Angela’s many valuable qualities and regard her with ever increasing respect. Very goal oriented, as well as a team player, she is keenly devoted to her work. Angela is dependable, hardworking, and works positively with the entire school community. She contributes meaningful teaching techniques and strategies. Angela takes seriously her role in meeting the needs of each of her students.

Spring Lake – Ashley Grover
Ashley is well prepared and works extremely hard in the classroom. Ashley’s good judgment, enthusiasm, and common sense make her a natural with students, parents, and other faculty members. Students feel safe in her room. They have fun; and, yet, are expected to work hard. The students feel loved and cared for.

Taylor – Penny Oakeson
Penny is a great teacher and expert in curriculum, management, and working with the public. She has adopted the principles of Professional Learning Communities and Lesson Studies and is in the process of strengthening her own classroom and her peers. She has a class with more than her share of behavioral problems. Penny still has one of the best managed classes.

Westside – Karen Thomas
Karen is an ‘extra-miler’ and is amazingly creative. She is always looking to improve her practices and curriculum knowledge by attending a variety of classes. She is a model of life-long learning for her students. She works with her grade-level team to design engaging and focused lessons to help all students master content. Karen exemplifies professionalism and dedication to the teaching profession.

Wilson – Leney Edvalson
Leney is a student-centered teacher that does whatever necessary to help students succeed. She is comfortable with collaboration and started up collaboration with other schools since she is the only special needs teacher at our school. She is a team player and works with great initiative and a positive attitude to carry out tasks. Leney has a way of making students feel valued and loved.