#SCCSD April Staff Members of the Month
Congratulations to all honorees – we appreciate your hard work and dedication!
Josh Wheeler, PE Teacher @ Clark Early Childhood Center
“Mr. Wheeler helps our youngest students learn the importance of being physically active through engaging and developmentally appropriate physical fitness games and activities. Josh’s PE class is loved by our students because of the fun and unique ways that he gets them moving and develops their gross motor skills through obstacles, games, teamwork, exercises, and learning. His PE class is critical to the development of our students and he finds ways to support our learning in literacy and math through his PE lessons. Our students learn skills to not only improve their physical abilities, but also learn how to play games, take turns, have good sportsmanship, strengthening our muscles, increasing blood flow to our brains, and regulation of emotion. Josh has high expectations for our students in PE and students work hard to meet them. He is a favorite teacher for many students and we know why. Thanks for dreaming big and aiming high in all that you do, Josh! “
Cindy Bowers, Teacher @ Perry Creek Elementary
“Students served through Special Education with needs for academic instruction are fortunate to have Ms. Bowers for their teacher. Cindy is a veteran teacher who has high expectations for her students to make big gains in their learning as they learn differently from their peers. She utilizes evidence-based strategies, engaging resources, and lots of quality time with her students to help them make progress and achieve their goals. She does all this through establishing a caring, supportive, and positive classroom environment that sets the tone for students feeling comfortable learning, even when it is really difficult for them. Ms. Bowers also serves on our PBIS Tier 2 team and is thorough in taking detailed notes about the supports that our students are receiving and effectiveness of those supports. Cindy’s spunky attitude and willingness to do anything to see her students succeed is an asset to our Perry Creek team. Her students love her and we do, too! Thanks for all you do, Cindy, to dream big and aim high for each student! “
Karin Swanson, Music Teacher @ Perry Creek Elementary
“Mrs. Swanson has led five successful music programs this year at Perry Creek. Her hard work, effort, planning, organization, and thoughtfulness for each program contributed to the success that our students had during their performances. She carefully selected pieces of music that highlighted the talents and abilities of our Perry Creek students, as well as showcased the music standards, which students have been working towards proficiency of throughout the school year. Our students performed at high levels and their musical talents were enjoyed by all. Karin finds a way to make each program special for the students and their families. She puts forth a great deal of work in order for the performance to be a success, including practice, planning, preparation, communication, and rehearsals. Our students have so much success in their programs as they perform pieces of music that allow them to have special parts including solos, duets, trios, rounds, instrumental parts, dances, actions, and other languages. Thank you, Karin, for helping our students shine in their performances and for dreaming big and aiming high for each student.”
Sandy Hamman, Teacher @ Spalding Park Elementary
“Mrs. Hamman works tirelessly to support and
assist our students and teachers at Spalding Park. She goes above and beyond to meet the unique and individual needs of her students, advocating for students both in and out of the classroom. Mrs. Hamman is also dedicated to helping colleagues, both professionally and personally. She is an asset to the education profession, as well as our school and district.”
Lisa Rembe, Instructional Assistant @ Nodland Elementary
“Ms. Rembe is a dedicated part of our staff, showing respect to all students and fellow staff members. She fulfills her job responsibilities with much patience and care. The bonds she forges with students are strong. We are all very fortunate to have her on our team at Nodland!”
Liz Barrett, Preschool Teacher @ Riverside Elementary
“Mrs. Barrett is a great advocate for her students and words hard to make our preschool environment a fun, structured place for them to start their learning career. In addition, she is involved in taking pictures for our school yearbook and coordinating photos for display in our building. We are thankful to have Mrs. Barrett as a Roadrunner!”
Mark Gettner, Teacher @ Hunt Elementary
“Mark Gettner is always willing to collaborate with staff members and find different ways to meet students unique learning needs. Mark donated countless hours before and after school working with students on the play and did a phenomenal job as co-director. Mark is a joy to work with and a true asset to Hunt!”
Jennifer Hudhes, Kindergarten Teacher @ Loess Hills Elementary
“Jennifer is the Kindergarten Team Leader. She works hard to find new lessons to share with kindergarten colleagues to ensure continued student engagement. Student learning is a top priority for Jennifer and it shows! Her students exit kindergarten ready for 1st grade. Thank you Jennifer, for your leadership on the BLT Team, the Coding Leadership Team, the kindergarten team, and with students.”
Courtney Jungers, Teacher @ Hunt Elementary
“Courtney goes above and beyond for Hunt students, staff, and families every day. She is consistently seeking new learning opportunities and investigating strategies for new English language learners. She is the facilitator for the tier I and tier II PBIS teams. Her hard work and dedication of PBIS is commendable. Courtney always has a smile on her face and a positive attitude!”
Jennifer Mackey, 3rd Grade Teacher @ Unity Elementary
“Jennifer works tirelessly setting up a creative space for student learning. Her actions showcase her genuine interest in seeing students succeed. She truly cares about the students in her class and at Unity. Jennifer is a team player and has served on multiple building committees. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of students at Unity.”
Kim Mounts, Algebra Teacher @ East High
“Kim is always willing to try new things in her classroom. Her focus is on student success and what can be done to help each individual. She has revolutionized her classroom by placing more than 100% of her time into each student and each lesson plan. Kim is a collaborator with her colleagues and has mentored many young teachers. Her efforts create excitement among colleagues and students.”
Becky Ronchetto, Teacher @ Irving Elementary
“Ms. Ronchetto is a strong, caring, and dedicated teacher who is willing to help everyone. Her students are successful and love being in her room. For this reason, Ms. Ronchetto is loved by her students and respected by her peers. We are so grateful to have Ms. Ronchetto at Irving Elementary!”
Chauntee Vergith, Tutor @ Loess Hills Elementary
“Chauntee is always willing to help out in any way she can. She models PBIS expectations to encourage exceptional student behavior and continuously works on student achievement. While she fulfills many responsibilities, she’s also among the first to volunteer for extra assignments. It’s an honor to have Chauntee at Loess Hills.”