All eight of Suwannee County’s 2006 Teachers of the Year (TOTY) will be honored March 7 during a huge banquet at Camp Weed. District Teacher of the Year Melissa Brinson will be the special honoree.

Representing the District this year is Suwannee Middle School teacher Melissa Brinson who was chosen as the District’s 2006 Teacher of the Year. Brinson, who has been teaching since 1980, says her greatest contribution to the education of her students has been the student-friendly environment she creates within her classroom.

“One of the mottos I use when planning lessons for students is, I will not be the keeper of the secret,” she said. “In other words, They know what’s expected of them in terms of what they will be assessed on and then, I teach them the concepts.”

Brinson has taught at the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch Learning Center, Suwannee- Hamilton Technical Center, Suwannee High School, Suwannee Elementary West and Suwannee Middle School where she currently teaches seventh grade.

Brinson is concerned about the mobile society in today’s world she believes leads to truancy, a major concern of most every teacher in the system. Brinson’s desire is that the legislative system will find ways to motivate families to get their children to school no matter what.

During her 26 years in the classroom, Brinson has from time to time involved outside experts to become involved in her classroom experience. She’s asked such businesses as Gold Kist Poultry, Suwannee Valley Electric, Suwannee River Water Management District and others to become involved with her students’ science classes. The experience has been rewarding for students, teachers, the school and the businesses, she says.

Brinson’s advice to teachers? “Have fun with your students at least once a day. Let them see that side of you.”

Suwannee Primary School second grade teacher Dee Dee McManaway began teaching second grade in 1992. She later taught fourth and fifth grades at Branford and Suwannee Elementary West and Suwannee Elementary School before becoming a second grade teacher at Suwannee Primary in 2005. She is the SPS TOTY for 2006.

McManaway holds a master’s degree in education.

McManaway believes her greatest contribution to the education of her students is her patience and understanding.

“People are all different. We learn, interpret and communicate differently,” McManaway said. “If I were not understanding of these important factors, I could not be effective. There are so many students who come to our classrooms with diversities; some of them obvious and some not so obvious. I like to think I have provided them with an opportunity to learn by using any diversity to their advantage.”

McManaway says the main issue in education today seems to be the certainty that all students achieve the expectations of the grade in which they are assigned. She feels that all students do not come to school with the same knowledge, thus students should be taught where they are so they can achieve a full school year’s growth during that year.

Her advice to her peers? “Keep doing what they are doing because they are amazing!”

Windy Gamble is a third grade teacher at Suwannee Elementary School and is the SES TOTY for 2006. Gamble has been teaching since 1999 when she began as a second grade teacher, moving on to fourth and fifth grades and then to her current third grade. Gamble is a nationally certified teacher.

Gamble feels her greatest contribution to her students’ education is demonstrating to them that learning is a life-long commitment.

“I exemplify this by having achieved National Board Certification, ESOL endorsement and Media Specialist Certification,” she said. “These certifications allow the students to observe the continuation of my education. By furthering my education, I am also more equipped to teach students the more challenging curriculum they must master.”

Gamble said the main issue in education today is testing. She supports limited testing, but feels the testing required today of student is too much. She doesn’t agree with the ways schools are graded based on test scores.

“Factors such as poverty, unemployment and free lunch status are not considered when schools are compared,” Gamble said. “I also feel the expectations of each school to make the same gains year after year are unreasonable. I feel we need to check and monitor the progress of our students, but at the same time we need to remember they are kids who all learn at a different pace. Limited testing and consideration of different economical communities would greatly improve the validity of testing.”

Gamble’s message to her peers is that “teachers and the community need to continue to work together to educate our children. By combining knowledge and resources and sharing with each other, teachers can be more prepared for the new challenges each year teaching students.”

“And,” she adds, “teachers of Suwannee County are among the best. I see their dedication and commitment each day.”

Pamela Ann Poucher is the 2006 TOTY for Suwannee High School where she teaches art to ninth through 12 grade students. She’s been a teacher since 2002 when she graduated Magna cum Laude from FSU. She is currently working on her master’s degree in art education.

Poucher said her greatest contribution to the education of her students is helping them develop the skills they need for better communication.

“I believe in my class, students are not only able to develop their communication skills linguistically but visually, as well,” she said. “Students learn to physically create their thoughts in a way that expresses to the viewer what he or she is feeling. Even though the message may not always be so clear, the students develop the capacity to make choices they can stand behind and be certain with, thus resulting in the creation of confidence.”

She feels the main issue in education today is more parent participation.

“If more parents would take an active role in their children’s lives, there would be fewer problems that teachers would have to deal with,” she said. “The students would know there would be more consequences to their actions that do not involve the school and vice versa. I believe that giving more initiatives to students who get their parents involved with their academic careers could solve this.”

Debbie Denmark is a fourth grade teacher at Branford Elementary where she was selected as the 2006 TOTY. She’s been a teacher since 1992 when she began teaching at Taylor Middle School in Perry. She graduated from FSU Summa cum Laude with a 4.0 grade average in 1991 and in 1997-graduated Summa cum Laude with her master’s degree. In 2005 she became a nationally certified teacher. Denmark was the Taylor County Teacher of the Year in 1996.

Denmark believes her greatest contribution to the education of her students is that she continually permeates these character qualities: compassion, caring, high moral values, understanding, patience, gentleness, high expectations, organization, firmness, consistency and energy.

“I realize the impact I have on each life that walks through my door to inspire,” she said. “Thus, I strive to provide the opportunity for my students to live up to their ultimate potential.”

Denmark feels the main issue in education today is literacy.

“Literacy comprises of reading, writing, listening, speaking and viewing and is the foundation of all subject areas and the key for future success in life,” she said.

Denmark’s message to her fellow teachers would be that “educators are like seamstresses. To sew a well-made garment, we must have all the items necessary to produce a quality garment. Every year we have 20-25 different patterns walking into our classrooms. We sew the seeds of knowledge into these various patterns by using diverse kinds of materials, notions, threads and appliqués to produce a final garment ready to meet the world. As educators, we take the lives of our students in our hands and in our hearts for one year. Therefore, we must strive to make sure we give no room for gaps, holes, unraveling or an unpolished readiness in our students’ education as they leave us to take their places in the world. These garments we as educators are sewing will one day be turned over to them. It should be our goal to have them complete, productive and useful in our society.”

Danelle Bradow is the Branford High School TOTY for 2006. Bradow teaches sixth grade social studies and began teaching in 2002. She is certified in elementary education, middle grades integrated curriculum, as a media specialist K-12 and has an ESOL endorsement.

Bradow believes her greatest contribution to her students’ education is her preparation.

“I have my classroom set up at the end of the school day ready to begin the next school day,” she said. “The agenda is on the board and all materials are ready. If a substitute had to teach for me, my lessons would be easily found. My being prepared also creates consistency for my students, which I feel is necessary for my students.”

She feels the most important issue in education today is safety of students.

“With the advancements of technology we have great resources, but also great challenges,” she said. “Our students are exposed to some dangerous and quite scary information on the Internet, video games and media. To combat these challenges we need to make parents and teachers aware of strategies to help monitor children.”

Bradow said her message to her peers would be to “have a knowledgeable person present and an awareness workshop for parents and teachers on the dangers of media today. I would hope to give them some strategies that would enable them to monitor our students and children more closely.”

LaFrenchie L. McCreary is the Suwannee- Hamilton Technical Center TOTY for 2006. McCreary teaches nursing at the Technical Center.

She feels her greatest contribution to the education of her students is that she’s available when her students need her.

“Inside of me is a willingness to pass on to nursing students what I have learned and what I am continuing to learn,” she said.

McCreary feels the most important issue in education today is keeping students and instructors interested and motivated to achieve a high quality education.

“Instructors should evaluate themselves deep inside to find out if teaching only means a job or if teaching is a job with students in mind,” she said. “Instructors should go beyond the 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. time frame. They should put enough effort and time in to assist all students to achieve. A motivated instructor encourages students to be motivated. I allow my students to be involved in the health care process, which serves as a great motivator. Listen to your students. They will clue you in on what motivates them.”

McCreary’s message to her peers in teaching would be that “Suwannee County District is a great place to receive a quality education. My hat’s off to all who participated to make the system what it is. I am overwhelmed to be honored as one of the Teachers of the Year in the District. Remember, education is more precious than gold. With love and support of our community, there are no goals we cannot achieve.”

Nancy D. Janousek is the 2006 TOTY for the Douglass Center. Janousek began her internship in 1994 as a kindergarten teacher. She’s taught first grade and fourth grade and taught abstinence and done substitute work. She holds a master’s degree in education administration.

Janousek believes her greatest contribution to her students’ education is her “ability to hear what they are saying, both verbally and non-verbally, thereby building relations with them that are essential to them putting forth their best efforts and being successful.”

She said the biggest issue in education today in her opinion is the lack of accountability and responsibility of parents and students.

“Parents and students are not held accountable for irresponsibility while public education is held to very high standards for the education and welfare of students,” she said. “It seems that schools are to be responsible for every aspect of children’s lives, while parents seem to have little to no expectations placed on them for rearing their children. Lawmakers and society expect more and more of public education and less and less of parents and students. Following high profile incidents of school related violence, communities nationwide have demanded increased security and strict adherence to a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to discipline. Unintentional consequences can include student and parent alienation, hours spent away from school and target the already at risk student for dropping out.”

She suggests a restorative justice approach called a “Neighborhood Accountability Board” where students and family are held accountable and parenting classes would be required.

Janousek feels it takes a village to raise a child, and her message to her peers would be one of hope.

“I am a teacher of real life and have determined that all children can be changed,” she said. “Knowledge can be bestowed upon any student for there are no throw-away kids. Each student can learn at his or her own level.”

Janousek says the broken spirits of children can be fixed by following what we know and doing it.

“There’s always hope,” she said, “but never give up so hope will come through and conquer.”

Suwannee Foundation for Excellence in Education, Inc. has tickets for sale for the annual Teacher of the Year banquet for $20 each. The banquet will be held next Tuesday, March 7, at Varn Dining Hall at Camp Weed, Live Oak. For information, call Hillary Croft at 386-364-2456.