October 9 – RISE Nominations

“I appreciate the ways in which Alan connects with his students. My son has excitedly told me of many of the things he learned in his Music in Cinema and Video Games class. It makes me hopeful when teachers are able to bring a subject to life for their students, or to focus in on interests and studies that already excite their students. I’m grateful for Mr. Larson’s willingness to go out on a limb and offer an unusual or atypical course which may not have as robust materials available to rely on for curriculum development.“

Nominated by: Mykle Law, parent

“Our family was blessed to meet Mrs. Day several years ago, and I have had the pleasure of getting to know her well through those years. No matter the stressor that my children faced while having Mrs. Day in their corner they felt like they could soar! There are so many kind & true statements I could make about Mrs. Day if I could. I have never met a more selfless, caring human being on this planet. We love you, Mrs Day!!“

Nominated by: Alisha Tyre, parent

“Amren is the amazing! She works hard to support teachers and students. She brings creativity and adventure to the work we do at Windsor. We would be lost without her!“

Nominated by: Jenny Moore, district employee

“Amren is an amazing administrator. She is always trying to bring fun things for the students to feel welcomed at school. She spends so much of her free time helping the student council create our weekly update videos. Students get so excited to watch these or even participate in the filming. Amren takes students and families for tours of the school when they move here. She truly cares about the school and its patrons. We are lucky to have her here.”

Nominated by: Melissa Burk, district employee

“Miss Farrar is kind and takes care of me. She helps me when I can’t find something and doesn’t scold. She is always smiling and sends photos to my mommy so she doesn’t get sad, and she teaches us a lot of fun things.“

Nominated by: Dante Diaz, student

“Michelle works as our Copy Center aide but few realize how much she truly does. Michelle pumps out copies for educators extremely fast, enabling us to quickly get hard copies of items to our students quickly and ahead of schedule. She also works as an aide in the school for a student who is blind and has become an incredible anchor and support for this student. Michelle is invaluable to us and we are very lucky to have her on staff and all the incredible work she’s doing here. We see you, Michelle. Keep it up!“

Nominated by: Danny & Kelly Horne, parents

“Kristy Taylor is the standard for the type of teacher and mentor you want for your child. She understands and welcomes students from every background and makes them feel trusted and loved. She teaches kids about their own mindset power and how they can do anything they set their mind to. She is an advocate for students outside the class. She truly cares for her students and loves teaching. She’s had two of my students who are obviously different, but both kids have felt her encouragement and come away changed because of her.“

Nominated by: Alyson McKay, parent

“Mrs. Benson is an amazing teacher and friend to my daughter. Last year was my daughter’s senior year. She struggled finding her passion and decided to fill her elective with an art class. She grew so much and not just in art. You would think she had been painting for years but she had just begun. Second semester she asked Mrs. Benson if she could take honors art and she agreed as long as my daughter showed her she was serious and passionate about it. Not only was she passionate because of Mrs. Benson, she graduated knowing what she wanted to do with her life….be an art teacher too!“

Nominated by: Debbie Montgomery, parent

“Amanda Harward exemplifies dedication and passion in her teaching. She goes above and beyond to support all her students, including those facing language barriers or requiring IEP and 504 accommodations. Her creativity shines through in her engaging lessons, and she is constantly seeking new ways to motivate and inspire her students. Her exceptional organization ensures that her classes are meticulously planned, often well in advance. Amanda’s kindness and genuine investment in her students’ success make her a standout educator. She is a true asset to Lehi High and we are lucky to have her.“

Nominated by: Jennifer Guiver, district employee

“Ms. Mappin uses a lot of different avenues to teach German. For example, she gave the kids a ‘lucky pig’ on their first day; she taught them a fairy tale on the first day also; they watch German commercials. Ms. Mappin Rocks!“

Nominated by: Carrie Wimmer, parent

“Rodney Sager is an outstanding Spanish teacher whose positivity and kindness make him a student favorite. His humility and upbeat attitude also continually earn him the respect of his colleagues. Rodney is quick with compliments and always ready to lend a hand. A gentle soul with a strong work ethic, he excels as both a teacher and a wrestling coach. Rodney is admired by students and athletes and teachers alike. He gives 100% in everything he does and is continually striving to improve his craft. His dedication and genuine care make him an invaluable asset to the school.“

Nominated by: Jennifer Guiver, district employee

“Lisa Gallagher is an exceptional vice principal whose positivity and willingness to listen make her so fun to work with. She is deeply invested in both student and teacher success and she focuses especially on helping those who struggle feel comfortable and valued. Lisa’s intelligence and capability shine through in her ability to prioritize what truly matters, driving positive change with tact and respect. Her outstanding people skills and leadership qualities ensure that she supports and uplifts everyone around her, making her a truly remarkable leader.“

Nominated by: Jennifer Guiver, district employee

“Ms. Hritz is a “student magnet!” They gravitate to her because of her sincere interest in them. She speaks their language in a good way. She helps them all feel valued and important. She is energetic in what she teaches making it so interesting. She teaches out of the box. The students adore her and respect her.“

Nominated by: Tamera Wood, district employee

“Whitney is an incredible person and teacher. It’s my daughter’s first year at Freedom and she already loves it and a lot of the reason is because of Whitney. She makes the kids feel welcome, loved and appreciated. I don’t have the words to express how grateful I am that my daughter has the opportunity to have her as a teacher this year. She listens, is kind, and an amazing teacher. She highly deserves this award!!“

Nominated by: Roni Law, parent

“Mrs. Lewis inspires and motivates students to reach their full potential. She is very supportive and keep the kids engaged. She shows genuine care and concern for her students, offers constructive feedback, and encourages curiosity and a love for learning.“

Nominated by: Mini Kumar, parent

“After 30+ years, Mrs. Johnson still enjoys working as an amazing lunch lady. She loves her job working for the district!“

Nominated by: Samantha Johnson, community member

“Mrs. Benson goes above and beyond for her students and their parents. She is supportive and caring.“

Nominated by: Whitney Shurtliff, parent

“I have felt so lucky to have my fifth grader in Mr. Hale’s class. He is so good at what he does. My son absolutely loves being in his class. He is encouraging and positive and keeps things light and fun while also encouraging them to be their best. We can’t say enough good about him!“

Nominated by: Alicia Hawks, parent

“We won the jackpot ending up at Mr. Shelton’s school. He is incredible to work with. He knows all the kid’s names, is patient with my spicy kiddo, is communicative with parents and has made us feel right at home at Parkside. He’s considerate of each child’s needs. I don’t know how he does it all, but I am so grateful to be working with he and his staff as a parent at Parkside.”

Nominated by: Alicia Hawks, parent

“Mr. Mayo has not just been a great leader, he has been a great friend. I know I can always depend on him! He will go above and beyond to make sure his students are successful! I look up to him in more ways than one. He is an inspiration.“

Nominated by: Sheldon Sweet, parent

“Rachel Shaw is an excellent math teacher. My son had her class as a 9th grader last year, and he learned math like he’s never learned it before. He’s always struggled with tests, but when he took her class, he always did well on tests. He knew the information because of the way it has presented and taught. It’s not the same old teaching, but the kids were involved. He loved math so much. She’s just the best!“

Nominated by: Whitney Child, parent

“Anna adds so much to our PLC team. Her ability to process new information then create something students can use in class the next day is uncanny. She has helped our 10th grade PLC to move forward. She asks questions no one else has thought of. She is focused on making sure her students are learning, and she’s always willing to learn something new to better help her students. We are so lucky to have her on our team!“

Nominated by: Whitney Child, district employee

“Mr. Glahn is the best principal in the world. He loves working at American Fork High School and he loves all of the students at AFHS.“

Nominated by: Nathan Kunze, student

“Mr. Bowman is the best computer science teacher ever! He loves teaching computer science and he loves his students.“

Nominated by: Nathan Kunze, student

“Mrs. Sampson has a genuine interest in elevating kids in music. She has greatly impacted my child as well as many others. She is the reason my kid is doing jazz band, symphonic, and marching band. This is what gets kids excited about going to school. She goes above and beyond not only teaching kids about music, but music history and more. The kids are learning life skills like team work, being dedicated, as well as dependable human beings. When my kid signed up for band in 7th grade he didn’t know if he would like it, it has transformed his life. She puts in countless hours. These are just some of the reasons.“

Nominated by: Kelly Chipman, parent

“Mrs. Smuin’s abilities as a teacher are hard to put into words. She just gets it: she understands her students needs and wants in a way that I have never seen from another teacher. She sees when a student is struggling and knows exactly why. With my child she knew why he did poorly on tests, because he would hurry so he could go read. One day my son kept calling me from school telling me he had lost his backpack and was distressed. She knew before I did that he was so upset about his backpack because he was in the middle of Harry Potter and wanted to read. She is absolutely one of a kind.“

Nominated by: Laura Messer, parent

“Mrs. Logan creates a positive atmosphere in her classroom and fosters unity. She has the children write nice notes to each other and it creates a class of belonging. She is encouraging to all of her students–I don’t think you can find a past or current student of hers that doesn’t like her. At the end of the school year, she gives each child a book of their artwork and photos from the year. The extra time she puts into making her class a positive place really shows. Heather Logan goes above and beyond to teach her students and she is the perfect recipient for the RISE award.“

Nominated by: Kasandra Williams, parent

“Miss Sherry has been an absolutely amazing and integral part of our daughter and our family and so many people’s lives! She has made a mark on this world and made such a difference with her positivity, her love, her kindness and patience, her dedication and her ability to truly feel and support the special angels of ours and their families! Her compassion and her communication is always focused on the ways to benefit these kids that do not have a voice, and she has gone out of her way to give them the voice that they need and for this we are forever grateful!“

Nominated by: Sophia Turville and family, student

“Mr. Bottita is a fantastic 3rd grade teacher, but his impact on the kids reaches way beyond that. He takes an interest in each student outside the classroom as well, inviting them to join him in community events, and he even transforms his classroom into Hogwarts Castle for a day! He took a special interest in my son, who had a bad experience in a previous grade, and made my son feel loved and helped him learn how to succeed.“

Nominated by: Kim Dodds, parent

October 9 – RISE Nominations

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