It's official, the students' last day of school for the 2018-19 year has concluded. I'm sure that they are all excited for the fun, relaxation, and opportunities that summer vacation will bring. The school year hasn't entirely wrapped up yet for the teaching staff, and we wanted to take to the opportunity to recognize their work.
Over the past eight years, representatives of the communities of Eleva and Strum have supported the recognition of two teachers, one at the Elementary level and one at the Middle/High level, who exhibit the values that we wish to instill in our students: tremendous work-ethic, commitment to excellence, integrity, and pride in our community. The "Cardinal Pride Teaching Excellence" award is given to a person who has been with the district for at least five years and regularly displays these traits.
This year, Linda Dodge and Karla Svedarsky were on hand to present the awards to two very deserving individuals. The recipients of the teaching excellence awards were Debbie Petersen (Elementary) and Sarah Hopkins (Middle School). Debbie has served our district as a Kindergarten teacher for several years and continually evolves to meet the needs of her students. As one of her former students, I can tell you that they are lucky to have her! Sarah has served the school district as our Middle School Special Education teacher for the last six years, and has helped to build the foundational knowledge of many of our students.
I want to give a special thank you to Mrs. Dodge and Mrs. Svedarsky for taking time out of their schedules to support and present the awards. It means a great deal to our teachers to know that they are well supported by the community.
Congratulations Debbie Petersen and Sarah Hopkins! Thank you for all you do for our students and staff. Have a great summer.