The voting results were very close which speaks to the character of the amazing individuals who were nominated this year!
Nominated or Not - You are appreciated and loved for the thankless work and heart that you dedicate to our students everyday!
Nominations are below:
PARAGON NOMINATIONS:
(Paragon includes all certified school colleagues)
Mrs. Bennett is a positive, upbeat colleague who lifts others when they're having a rough day. She is always encouraging and kind. Even though she's only taught a few years, she handles the challenges thrown at her in her classroom with grace. I'm consistently impressed by how she engages even the most reluctant students to participate and learn in her class.
Mrs. Churchwell is such a loving and committed teacher but also person. She works so diligently with her special education class but puts in so many extra hours outside of her daily teaching job. She is the best sports mom to not just the football team but other sports as well. She helps so many individuals in their academic journey, not just their sport of choice. She also puts in many hours as a team photographer. She is definitely one of the most multi-tasking teachers I’ve ever known. She is also a great friend to us coworkers. Mrs. Churchwell is an all around great person that I strive to follow in my teaching years to come. She is very active in our school and community and has a special heart for all of the students at our school.
Mr. Deaver has been such a committed teacher in all aspects. He’s always present and goes above and beyond for his students. He genuinely cares for each student and makes sure to provide all the tools for their success. He is also one class away from his Masters all while working full time and spending time outside of the classroom to accommodate his students. He is also always willing to lend a helpful hand to others.
Mrs. Dodd is the definition of the Golden Rule. She is always going above and beyond for others. She is quick to say hello to anyone that passes. She will go out of her way for her students making sure to support them as much as she can. She will stay late or come to school early to make sure they feel successful. She will lend her ear to a student or peer. She will cover a class without hesitation.
Mrs. Duke is a SpEd co-teacher who is always looking out for the needs of not only kids on her roster but for all students in the class. She has the innate ability to know when a student is struggling and she will quietly approach and offer her help. She incorporates varied approaches to help the kids find a different way to learn. Mrs. Duke is quite tech savvy and is able to help not only the students but also her peers (specifically me) with computer issues. She keeps abreast of all the supportive programs available to our students and empowers them to become stronger learners. Laurena is kind and caring, empathetic towards all students so that our students feel safe with her.They look to her for guidance and support. Laurena is an exemplary teacher and mentor for all our students. She keeps herself up to date on best practices and brings them with her in her approach to teaching our kids. As it so often happens with SpEd co-teachers, it is easy to overlook the huge role they play in the life of our school and our students. But Laurena Duke is a beacon of hope and light for our kids and staff and a huge asset to our school district.
Ms. Filer is always patient with other teachers and students. She is kind and slow to react in a negative manner, even when pressed with negative situations. She is an encouraging coworker who will give you positive words of affirmation or leave you with a kind note or card during stressful times. She is always willing to lend a hand and help someone else in need. Her positive attitude and demeanor makes Glynn Academy an even better place to work.
Mrs. Galland pours her whole heart into her teaching every single day. She loves on her students and goes above and beyond for them. I haven't met a single student who has had her that doesn't feel like she helped make them a better person and learner.
Mary Claire Jones is the most respectful, kind hearted, honest, trustworthy, dependable, easy going, approachable leader and team player here at GA in my opinion. She is consistent and treats all of our students equally, encouraging each and every one of them she speaks to. She is definitely a creative thinker and the biggest problem solver. Mary Claire is always flexible moving her schedule around to accommodate students, parents and staff. She is just a joy to have here in the registrar's office. I love coming to work because of her!
Coach Knowles changed my daughter's life. Before taking Coach Knowles class my daughter was completely uninterested in school and what teachers thought. Then she took Coach Knowles class. He listened to her. He made her feel valued as a person, and that in turn made her care about being a good student! Coach Knowles took a child who struggled just wanting to come to class and helped change her into someone who now talks about becoming a social worker. I know that she can not be the only student he's helped in this way! Not only did he really help my student, but he also is always willing to help in any way he can to make GA Great!
Coach Leeper has had a great season in her second year of coaching at GA. This year she won the City Championship, was number one in the Region and took her young team of 10 girls to the Sweet 16 in the State Playoffs. She recently won the 2024 Coach of the Year for this Region. Let her win it all! Coach Leeper has consistently shown strong leadership and her students are her priority.She is an excellent Coach and she has had an AMAZING Basketball Season with the Lady Terrors and she was Coach of the Year!! She is a remarkable person who deserves recognition for her dedication to her profession and students..
Mr. Lewis: There has not been a day that has gone by that I have not seen Brandon check on every person in our hall to see how they are doing. You simply will never see him NOT interacting with both students and teachers, and his concern for those around him is genuine and far-reaching. He makes it a priority to seek out ways to serve others and to help those around him in whatever ways he can. He is the kind of educator who can reach students whom others have given up on. He is a bright light on campus and throughout our community.
Mr. Nelson: I have worked with Mr. Nelson for at least 15 years. For these many years he has remained constant and steady. He is a phenomenal math teacher, coach and person. Rarely have I seen him raise his voice with students. His math lessons are organized , in note, worksheet and powerpoint form. If I need information about a student he is always willing to send the information in a timely manner. If he is invited to a meeting, he will be there or let you know if he cannot attend.Students have always commented on what a great teacher he is. I think being reliable, consistent and dependable are excellent qualities for a teacher. Students are never going to say, "watch it, Coach Nelson is in a mood." He is always willing to tutor students and help them. He is trustworthy and someone you can confide in. I think knowing that as a person and teacher that you can always count on him speaks volumes. He cares about his students and athletes. When he corrects a student or athlete, they are never made to feel dumb or silly for asking questions. He simply guides them to the answer. I think his praises are not sung often because he is never ranting or making a scene, but when you mention his name, all you will ever hear is praise. He always has his students, athletes and peers' best interest at heart, very Golden Rule Worthy.
Mrs. Perez-Collazo: She goes out of her way for her students, colleagues, and brightens the atmosphere that surrounds her! You can find her helping those students who need a little extra encouragement, Spanish speaking students are free to ask for clarification and she will go out of her way to find the help they need. She is a very special human being!
Mrs. Ross is such a supportive teacher to all of her students. She creates a calming and safe environment as well. She has supported her co-workers by always being involved in student IEP meetings and willing to help any student in her class.
Mr. Santa-Emma: I am very new to Glynn Academy and have spent time in many teachers' classrooms and Mr. Santa-Emma has stood out. Mr. Santa-Emma has a great relationship with the students and is very kind and patient with them. He walks them through many things if they need help and treats them all with respect. He has a lot on his plate with his very interesting class. From what I've seen he is always concerned with their well being and making sure they are ok before giving them their daily work.
Mrs. Trautz: I work closely with Mallorie Trautz because we both teach Environmental Science at Glynn Academy. Mrs. Trautz teaches all collaborative classes that include many students with disabilities and medical problems. She is also the head coach of the varsity girls volleyball team at GA. Over the past two years I've seen up close how she approaches every single person at school (coworkers, students, parents, volleyball players, etc.) with the utmost respect. Mrs. Trautz puts everyone at ease with her great sense of humor and unfailing optimism. She has several volleyball players and former students who check in with her daily just to say hello, and also to sometimes share their problems and get advice. Her kindness also has a backbone and she has high expectations of those around her. Both her classes and her volleyball practices require the same passion and effort from students that she puts in. Mrs. Trautz has a strong faith and devotes a lot of her life to her church. While she doesn't preach her faith at school, it radiates off of her in the forms of kindness, respect, firmness, and generosity. If you see Mrs. Trautz in the hallways at GA she will be greeting students by name, giving hugs, and spreading encouragement wherever she goes.
STAFF NOMINATIONS:
(Staff includes all classified school colleagues)
Mrs. Davis is a fantastic ASL interpreter for our Deaf students. She is kind and compassionate and makes sure our Deaf kiddos get equal access to communication. She is patient and caring with my ASL students who ask her to help them with their signing skills. I'm so thankful we have her on our faculty here at GA.
Ms. Chicas is an amazing paraprofessional at Glynn Academy. She is always respectful of the teachers and students that she works with. Last Semester Miss Chicas worked with me and whenever a student was absent she would copy the notes for them and place them in their folder. Miss Chicas even provided my fourth block students with snacks the day before Thanksgiving break for their hard work and outstanding work they did in class.
Ms. Maya is invaluable to the ESOL program. She is always helping others and building a strong rapport with the students. She cares deeply about the students and only wants the best for them. The students adore her and go out of their way to see her. When they have major issues, she is often their first line of communication. Ms. Maya is also a team player who is ready to take on difficult tasks at a moment's notice. She is a strong supporting staff member of both the school and the ESOL department.
Ms. Murray carries one of the most important responsibilities for our staff. She is responsible for securing substitutes for our teachers during their absences. Having been a substitute here at GA for 2.5 years, I know how important she is to us subs. SHe is there to greet us in the mornings, make certain our rooms are open for us and gather all the rosters necessary for our individual classes. In addition, she also has to arrange for all classes to be covered when there are not enough subs to be had. Ms. Murray is a talented juggler managing many tasks at one time. Being secretary for Coach Crews, Ms. Murray has all the secretarial duties entailed in that job. She is the first face the kids see who come in to talk with Coach Crews and she uses that time to counsel the kids, encouraging better choices. In addition, she covers other positions as needed while always being the first to welcome subs onto campus. As a long-term sub and now a full time teacher, Ms. Murray has been an invaluable resource for me in helping me learn the routines of campus life. She is open to all my questions and quandaries and helps direct me down the right path. Ms. Alia Murray is our first responder for all subs and saves us in more ways than I can mention. What a huge asset she is to our school and staff. GA would not run as smoothly without her presence, energy, and smile.
Mrs. O'brien: Where to begin? She spends so much time making our classroom a place where everyone can feel valued and included. She is creative and a self starter when it comes to planning events for our class or for Terror Buddies. She pours herself into our class assisting with curriculum and one on one instruction. She always puts others' needs before her own. She is constantly bringing in snacks for our class and the plethora of other students/athletes who come through our room each day in search of a kind word or some wisdom (both of which are supplied by Ms O'brien). I've even seen her pull up Amazon and buy a child shoes on the spot when he came in looking for glue to fix his crocs. In addition to being the best parapro ever, she spends her "free" time as an assistant coach for cross country and track. She does fundraising for both, transports kids to practice, attends every practice and meet and solves all the day to day problems that inevitably arise when coaching a high school sport. I can not think of anyone who better exemplifies the GA way than Amanda O'brien.
Mrs. Gabby Perez works very hard to connect with all students and parents at Glynn Academy. Prior to her coming to our school, we struggled to connect with Spanish-speaking families and she has helped us close this communication gap. Additionally, she models our culture of high expectations every day. She works hard to remove barriers and teach parents and students that daily school attendance is the expectation. Gabby consistently models a friendly yet firm demeanor to our students and families and this fosters the many strong relationships she has with our students. On multiple occasions Gabby has been in the "trenches" with ESOL students helping them navigate life's many challenges heightened by language barriers. Seeing the relief on student's faces when Gabby helps them feel heard and understood is just one of the many blessings Gabby gives our students.
Mrs. Perry is kind and helpful to both students and staff. She anticipates others' needs and seeks out ways to make their jobs easier, often taking on more tasks just to lighten teachers' workloads. She is the first person to step up to help. I have never seen her in a bad mood. When you walk into her office, you are guaranteed to be treated with kindness and genuine concern. Patrice does her job exceptionally well and her work ethic is admirable. Our building runs way more smoothly because of her efforts, and I am grateful to call her a colleague. Mrs. Perry is always helpful when I have any kind of question. If she does not know what the answer is she finds and gets back to you asap. She is very good at giving you a heads up on things and supportive.
Mrs. Styn has a great relationship with all of her students in and out of the classroom. Miss Styn is a great role model for all students at Glynn Academy. Miss Styn will take any student under her wing and help them develop as a student academically and socially. Michelle Styn is always so friendly and is so involved with the community and the school. She has an amazing relationship with students and staff. She can make anyone's day better just by interacting with her. She defines what it means to be a Golden Rule recipient.
Ms. Wilkins: Miss Arlene goes out of her way to help others. Teachers and students benefit from her kindness and direction. On numerous occasions I have seen her help students and literally help their day improve by simply showing them attention, love and support.