|
The Following is the Press Release from the
Ohio
Department of Education:
For
Immediate Release
Thursday,
October 14, 2004
Two
Ohio Teachers Receive $25,000 Milken Awards
Columbus – Two Ohio
kindergarten teachers each received a $25,000
National Educator Award from the Milken Family
Foundation during surprise presentations at
their elementary schools this month.
Michelle Gagne from Hilton Elementary School,
Brecksville (Brecksville-Broadview Heights City
School District), and Jenny Bruney from New
Holland Elementary School, New Holland
(Miami Trace Local School District), are two of
100 educators slated to receive a Milken
National Educator Award in 47 states.
“We are grateful to the Milken Foundation for
continuing to support teachers every year,”
said Susan Tave Zelman, Ohio superintendent of
public instruction. “Research shows the most
crucial factor to successful student learning is
the quality of the classroom teacher, and we are
pleased to honor these exceptional teachers.”
In addition to the unrestricted financial award
of $25,000, each honoree will receive an
all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to
participate in the annual Milken National
Education Conference next May.
Marilyn Troyer, associate superintendent at the
Ohio Department of Education, announced
Gagne’s selection at a surprise school
assembly at Hilton Elementary School today. She
announced Bruney’s selection Oct. 7 at a
school assembly at New Holland Elementary
School.
An independent blue ribbon panel, appointed by
each state’s department of education,
recommends recipients to the Milken Family
Foundation. Criteria for the award include:
-
Exceptional educational
talent, as evidenced by outstanding
instructional practices in the classroom,
school and profession;
-
Outstanding accomplishment
and strong long-range potential for
professional and policy leadership; and
-
An engaging and inspiring
presence that motivates and impacts
students, colleagues and the community.
In Gagne’s six years at Hilton
Elementary School, her colleagues say she has
found countless ways to integrate technology
into classroom learning. One example is the Web
site she maintains for her two kindergarten
classes, which allows parents to stay informed
of what their children are doing in school and
allows students to continue learning outside of
the classroom.
Additionally, Gagne is a member of the
school’s staff development and spirit teams,
as well as the school and district technology
teams. She also helped draft the district’s
technology policy; wrote the SchoolNet Grant;
was a co-presenter at the state technology
conference in 2003; and has worked on the
language arts committee and state standards.
Gagne holds her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees from John Carroll University.
Bruney, an annual presenter at the Ohio
Kindergarten Conference, has taught at New
Holland Elementary for eight years and was most
recently a leading advocate for initiating every
day kindergarten, which has now been implemented
throughout the district. She also travels across
Ohio presenting her techniques and ideas to
other kindergarten teachers.
Bruney currently serves as president of the New
Holland Elementary parent/teacher organization,
participates in various curriculum committees
and is working toward her National Board
Certification. Additionally, she was the
Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year in 2002-2003.
Bruney holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio
University and received her kindergarten
certification from Franciscan University.
The Milken family created the National Educator
Awards to reward, retain and attract outstanding
teachers and school administrators. Teacher
Magazine has described the awards as the
“Oscars of Teaching.” Since its inception in
1985, the Milken Family Foundation has presented
more than $51 million to more than 2,000
educators, including 49 Ohio teachers.
|
The
photos in this slideshow highlight the surprise assembly!
