Teacher of the Month/Year of the Rotary Club of Fort Collins
The Rotary Club of Fort Collins initiated the Teacher-of-the-Month/Year program in 1994. The program was such a success that the Foothills and Breakfast Clubs were invited to participate in planning and organizing the following year’s program and have been involved ever since. Each month during the academic year, each of these three Rotary Clubs selects a teacher for recognition as that Club's Teacher-of- the-Month. Occasionally there is co-recognition. The recognized and honored teacher(s) comes to a Club meeting, makes a presentation and receives a plaque that commemorates her/his recognition. At the end of the year, a joint committee from the three clubs selects a Teacher-of-the-Year and one or two runner(s)-up. These are recognized at a tri-club meeting held in the spring or early fall. At this meeting the Teacher-of-the-Year and the runner (s)-up receive another plaque and the Teacher-of-the-Month/Year also is recognized with a Paul Harris Fellow.
The messages that these teachers bring are so thoughtful and "heart felt" that your Webmaster thought they should be shared with those who were unable to attend the meetings at which the teachers spoke and interested others. If we were able to obtain a message from the honored teacher (s), you may access it by clicking on either the photo or the "name link" immediately below the photos. There will be at least a summary captured from our weekly Club bulletin, the Rotogear. It's a terrifically inspiring program and we hope you will enjoy reading about it.
Teacher of the Month – October 2009
Not Announced Yet
Teacher of the Month – September 2009
Dawn Davis |
Kathleen Tindall |
Dawn Davis introduced her daughter’s teacher, Kathleen Tindall, from the new elementary school in Timnath, the Bethke Elementary School as the October Teacher of the Month. Kathleen said, “WOW, it is humbling to be honored and she thanked Rotary for the honor and thanked the club for honoring teachers. She said that the honor should go to every teacher in her school. Each day for her is a “gift”, a gift to work with the children she teaches. She said that the students teach her and her job was like opening a new present each day. For her, teaching is an inspiration and our club members should come and visit.
She praised the dictionary project and said the “Purple Pinkie” project begins next week in her school. She then thanked her boss for asking her to join the Bethke faculty. Finally, she thanked her family for their support in doing what she wants to do. Dawn and her daughter, Ashlyn, presented Kathleen with flowers.
Teacher of the Month – March 2009
Gary Hurd |
Garth McCann introduced Gary Hurd from Werner Elementary. He has been with PSD since 1973, and with Werner for 21 years.
Gary thanked the Club for honoring him, as well as other teachers. He also thanked us for the Rotary READ program.
Gary was educated in PSD—Red Feather, Lincoln, Poudre High School. He wanted to be a diesel mechanic but had his mind changed while taking a PE class during college. He taught first at Waverly Elementary (no longer in existence) and has since taught the children of past students.
He counts as benefits those phone calls from former students who just want to talk—even those he encountered in the men’s room at Bruce’s Bar!! Teachers do make a difference, but often don’t know it until much later. But to have someone acknowledge we are making a difference is special—thank you.
Teacher of the Month – February 2009
photo to be added
Mike Dyer |
Garth McCann introduced Mike Dyer, PE teacher from Rocky Mountain High School. Mike drew
an analogy of teens with the geese of Kunter's invocation. Mike then thanked
Rotary and his colleagues for naming him Teacher of the Month. He said that it made him want
to be the best that he can be. He espouses the values of Rotary and said they
help him to understand and help teens. He wants his students to make the most
out of their talents by learning about life and keeping themselves healthy.
He strives to emphasize professionalism in his classes and holds his classes
in a classroom rather than in the fitness center. By the end of his classes,
he hopes they will understand themselves better and will go forward to a better
life. Mike feels he learns more from them than they do from him. He them shared
an essay written by one of his students who had just decided not to pursue soccer
during her senior year.
Mike also contributes outside the classroom: the Lobo Way asks that students
rise above themselves to better the community - an after school program. Projects
include: Walk the Rockies and a health fair coming up.
Teacher of the Month – January 2009
Tim Swanson |
Garth McCann introduced Tim Swanson from Centennial High, by giving a quote from the presidents speech, which is given below, and which Garth said applied to teachers. Tim has been in PSD for 23 years, at Centennial for 14 years. He thanked the club for recognizing teachers, not an everyday occurrence for teachers. He is involved in Riverwatch, student monitoring of water quality at a point of the Poudre River, a project that they have been doing since 1996. Results are given monthly to the Division of Wildlife. Kim teaches them the factors that they need to know before collecting and analyzing water samples before submission.
Teacher of the Month – December 2008
Mike Mackenzie |
Garth McCann introduced Mike Mackenzie as December Teacher of the Month. Mike teaches physical education at Olander Junior High School. Mike graduated from CSU in 2001 with a degree in Health and Exercise Science. He also was a starting defensive tackle on the CSU football team for several years and also served as a graduate assistant coach for a year at CSU. Mike came to CSU from Miami, Florida. He shared his thoughts on how he teaches and views physical education as an important part of the school curriculum. To keep students interested, he said that the exercise must be safe, fun and keep the student active. Recently he completed his Masters Degree at CSU.
Teacher of the Month – November 2008
Victoria Jordan |
Garth McCann introduced the November Teacher of the Month from Wellington Junior High, Victoria Jordan.
Victoria comes from the time of slide rules. The Internet has changed education, keeping educators busy trying to keep up. She believes we must take from the past, but look toward the future. She recounted stories about her students that still keep in touch with her. This philosophy is basic to her approach to teaching. Look to her students for hope in the future.
She then thanked the Club for the honor.
Teacher of the Month – November 2008
Victoria Jordan |
Garth McCann introduced the November Teacher of the Month from Wellington Junior High, Victoria Jordan.
Victoria comes from the time of slide rules. The Internet has changed education, keeping educators busy trying to keep up. She believes we must take from the past, but look toward the future. She recounted stories about her students that still keep in touch with her. This philosophy is basic to her approach to teaching. Look to her students for hope in the future.
She then thanked the Club for the honor.
Teacher of the Month – October 2008
Jennifer Roth |
Garth McCann introduced Fort Collins High School French teacher, Jennifer Roth, as the October Teacher of the Month. She thanked the club for the honor and also for Rotary’s various exchange student programs. She has had several exchange students in her classes. Jennifer is originally from Pennsylvania and a graduate of Penn State. She started her teaching in Pennsylvania, then at the University of Maryland, also taught English in France. She came to Fort Collins when her husband, who works for Hewlett Packard, was transferred here. She ended by praising the supportive administration in her school.
Teacher of the Month – September 2008
Kathi Fraiser |
Bonnie Titley introduced the September Teacher of the Month, Kathi Frasier. Kathi teaches third grade at Laurel Elementary School. Kathi started by saying she had a hard time accepting the award because she had a rule that she would not speak to any group where the members were taller than she. Kathi thanked our Rotary Club and Rotary Clubs for honoring teachers, for members volunteering to read at schools and for the dictionary program. She described how excited the students were to get the dictionaries and how they used them during the year before taking them home at year end.
On the questionnaire that teachers fill out for Rotary, one of the questions us about the proudest moments of the teacher. Kathi said that there were many small moments and she gave the club several examples. Her examples ranged from past students remembering her to challenging students that she helped overcome weaknesses.
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