There are many proficient and dedicated teachers within our school district. There are also teachers who, because of their commitment to the education of our students, have been nominated by their fellow staff members as 2012 Teachers of the Year.  These teachers show a sincere interest in their students as individuals and are very active in the school environment.  They connect with high-needs; at-risk students as well as they do with more independent learners.  The Mount Clemens Community School District's Board of Education and Superintendent wish to congratulate our 2012 Teachers of the Year!

Vera Baratold Alexander Macomb Early Learning Center @ M.L. King Jr. Academy

Vera Bartold has exemplified herself as an outstanding and diverse instructional leader at King Academy, by working with both kindergarten and Early Childhood Special Education Students.

This past year, Mrs. Bartold identified kindergarten students who would benefit from a research based language program.  These at-risk students have excelled because of Mrs. Bartold’s lessons plans, staff development and professional support.  By working with these students 3 to 4 times a week in small groups, the kindergartners have exhibited substantial growth in letter recognition, sounds, and sight word vocabulary.

Mrs. Bartold also works with Early Childhood Special Education students by providing language lessons and support. You may see her on the floor, reading or actively participating in group activities.

Mrs. Bartold’s current position is a Speech and Language Pathologist.  She has a teacher's certificate and has her CCC's.  She is very involved in the day to day operations at King and when she is not working with students she meets with parents, conducts IEP's and completes student evaluations.
 
Deanna Daly, Seminole Academy

   Deanna Daly shows enthusiasm in her classroom every day. As the Music Teacher, she interacts with every student at Seminole Academy in grades K through 6.  She shares her passion for music and the performing arts. 

   Ms. Daly uses established strategies in her classroom (like echoing and demonstrating) to help her students succeed.  She motivates her students by giving them many different venues in which to succeed, including utilizing technology to be extra creative.  She enhances the lessons being taught in the classroom and connects the music lessons to the curriculum whenever possible.

   Ms. Daly also arranges at least 3 concerts a year and provides music for many other school activities, such as our Black History Month Assembly, DARE and Walk to School Day.  Recently, Ms. Daly has taken on the job of supervising the morning video announcements, Tiger Talk.  As the main director of Seminole Glee, an after school show choir for grades 3-6, Ms. Daily provides voice instruction to 50 student participants.

   For the last ten years, Ms. Daly has been a member of the Mount Clemens community as a teacher.  She has attended and assisted with school parent committees, worked with administration on district recruiting and participated in numerous community events.

   Many of her former students continue their participation in the arts, long after leaving Seminole because Ms.Daly is a great music teacher.

Linda Knopp, George Washington Academy
   Linda Knopp is a driven and passionate Physical Education Teacher.  She embraces her endeavors at Washington Academy with great enthusiasm and maintains the highest standards in her Physical Education classes.

   She teaches several types of students, including physically and otherwise health impaired students and adjusts instruction and curriculum to support the academic, social, and emotional needs of her varied students.  She treats all her students with fairness and respect which allows them to feel empowered and valued.

   Ms. Knopp has implemented many successful physical education programs including All Children Exercising Simultaneously, Jump Rope for Heart, Hoops for Heart and Blast-Off.  She also obtained grant funding for the HOPSPORTS Program, 30 pedometers and 30 aerobic steps.

   Ms. Knopp volunteered as coordinator of many Washington activities including: Bus and Safety Patrol, The Dolphin Dough Bank, Field Day and the Washington Academy Junior Optimist Club.  She is a member of the School Improvement Team and has consistently earned the respect and admiration of her peers.

   Ms. Knopp has 45 years of teaching experience.  Thirty-two of them have been as a Physical Education Teacher.  She is an excellent role model for her students, through her dedication and enthusiasm for her job.  Ms. Knopp truly understands the needs of our school district.

Paula Geiger, Mount Clemens Junior High
   Paula Geiger, Teacher Librarian, tackles each day at Mount Clemens Junior High with a positive outlook and a "can do" attitude.  Administration and staff always go to for her feedback and assistance; she is definitely a team player.  In her career she has seen her role progress from caretaker of the book collection to one of information provider, consultant, curriculum activist, instructional leader and production specialist.  She is very comfortable in her move from the "warehouse concept" of a traditional librarian to one of collaboration and consulting with teachers and administrators.

   Mrs. Geiger communicates trust and creates a peaceful learning environment in her library with the philosophy that the focus of the library is user centered.  You constantly find students eager to share academic achievements with her.  Mrs. Geiger teaches a research class that shows students how to conduct good research, to be critical users of the information they find and how to avoid plagiarism.  She plays an important role teaching online research skills.

   Mrs. Geiger has moved and recreated libraries over five times in her career at Mount Clemens Community School District.  This year she is working at Washington Elementary (on the side) to get their facility up and running.  We are lucky to have Mrs. Geiger oversee the district’s Media Centers.

  
Kristie Nickel, Mount Clemens High School
   Kristie Nickel has been teaching at Mount Clemens High School for nine years. Mrs. Nickel is a recent graduate of Lawrence Technological University Masters of Science Education program and has certifications in Biology, Chemistry, and Integrated Science.

   If she is not working in the tutoring session or offering to help students prepare for the A.C.T., she is working one-on-one with students who need, desire, or merit extra help.  Working with a large population of at-risk students Mrs. Nickel has learned that reaching out to the students and building a positive relationship is the first step for success.

   Mrs. Nickel uses key strategies that help students think like a scientist while she sets the stage for success.  Data literacy is a key component to her student’s learning. Her students are able to use data as evidence to construct scientific explanations.  Deep knowledge of her subject matter enables her to meet students where they are and assist them in reaching and demonstrating mastery of the science standards.

   Mrs. Nickel has been instrumental in the high school’s Medical Bioscience Academy.  She meets with the community and collegiate partners to develop career paths and create opportunities for students to network and participate in co-curricular activities.

   All of her interactions with students, staff, and parents are marked with respect and caring.  Mrs. Nickel is uncompromised in her quest for quality educational opportunities for all young people; she has never lost sight of her students' needs.