• My kids had a wonderful first day today. I know you must have put a tremendous amount of effort, anxiety, passion, love and stress into making it a success- thank you!!

• Kudos to Ms. Labouchere, Ms. Godfrey, Ms. Frazier, Ms. Smith, and Ms. Denys! They have worked SO hard to create fun and educational activities day in and day out, and they should feel so proud of their ability to cultivate authentic, warm, joyful connections with their kids over a computer screen. Grateful for everyone at College Heights.
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. B who always goes above and beyond for her kids and their families. Teaching isn't just a job for her, it's a calling and her passion and care for her kids shows in the love she puts into her job. We love you, Ms. B!
  
  
• Ms. Johnson is one of the most amazing teachers we've had! She deeply cares about each child and has made virtual learning engaging, fun, and educational for our pre-k child. My daughter looks forward to her class every morning and she is sad to be "done with school" each afternoon. Thank you, Ms. Johnson! 
• Ms. Tamara Walker has the brightest smile and laugh which brings joy to our house every week.  We are so grateful for her as our child really embraced virtual learning as he looked forward to spending time with her! He is ready for every Google Meet with Ms. Tamara's name on it. We are beyond amazed at her ability to recognize her students' talents and celebrates every learning moment she can.   
  
  
• Mrs. Allen- Thank you for planning engaging lessons for pre-k students each week and making sure they are exposed to so many interesting topics. We are so grateful for you.

• On behalf of Kindergartener Spencer Moore at Clairemont Elementary, we’d love to shout out our dynamic duo Ms. Milford and Ms. Lewis. They’ve risen above some amazing obstacles and have been the best virtual teachers! Beyond patient! We will miss them so very much. Thank you for all you both do!

• Shout out to Mrs. Guinn and Ms. Clemmons at Clairemont -- they are a great teaching team and keep the kindergarteners engaged, learning, and having fun every day. Big (virtual) hugs to them both!
  
  
• Shout out to Coach Jolly at Clairemont!  She is positive, engaging, and empathetic to each of the kids -- and best of all she helps the kids off their extra energy and gets the wiggles out (and yes, parents love PE day, especially in this virtual environment).
  
  
• I want to shout out Ms. Needham at Clairemont. She has been an amazing teacher from day one. She is always upbeat, patient, and kind with the kids. She keeps them engaged even through a screen and we are so very lucky to have her this year.
  

• Senora Straus- huge shout out to her for keeping the kids engaged during Spanish. Her singing and cooking lessons are always fun!

• Oh, let me count the ways that Ms. Milford, Ms. Lewis, and Ms. Mansfield have enhanced our virtual learning experience this year! We were so saddened not to be in person for Kindergarten at our beloved Clairemont, but we’ve forged ahead. They are a solid team for our little one, and they worked hard to made this a loving and memorable year, despite its historic challenges. Thank you, ladies!
  
  
• I would like to give a shout-out to Mr. M (Mr. Mangascle) at Clairemont elementary for his amazing engagement with students and parents, always bringing a positive joyful attitude, and for keeping the kids motivated every day!
  
  
• Shout out to Miss Milford, Miss Lewis at Clairemont. 
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Lilywala at Clairemont for always going above and beyond with her students!  John gets excited every time he sees her. 
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Hodrick at Clairemont for always encouraging and motivating the students during morning and closing crew meetings!

GlennwoodTeacher "Shoutouts"!! 

• Several Glennwood parents upset about virtual teaching all said, “well, as long as Mrs Rose is still teaching we know the kids will be fine.” A staple of our Decatur community she has built and earned the trust of so many and become part of so many families.

• “Shout out to Ms. Bettis, who started at Glennwood a few days right before school started. She is always well-prepared, empathetic, and ready to pass on her positive attitude. Thank you, Ms. Bettis, for being so caring to our Kindergarteners and jumping into a challenging situation with a smile!”

• "Shout out to Ms Bettis who has jumped in from day one, and made this so much fun for the kids, and to Ms Marion who drops off the best birthday treats! And me Shewan who is just awesome! We are lucky..."

• “Shout out to Mrs. Rose and Ms. Reynolds! Keeping kindergartners engaged and learning is hard enough in person, but these two have been incredible! Always so well prepared, an extremely easy daily lesson plan to follow, and so much positive reinforcement no matter how big or small the accomplishment. While this isn't what they ever thought their teaching would be, they are doing a fabulous job making Kindergarten a great experience for our son.”

• "Shout out to Ms. Rose and Ms. Reynolds! They make virtual learning look easy and my kids are learning so much. They are so patient with five year olds as they learn how to use the computer as their main channel for their first days of elementary school. Ms. Rose is full of energy and keeps things moving at a good pace for this age. Her organization is amazing with very simple and easy to follow slides and she has the kids in the right amount of small and large groups. We are so grateful for them!"

• “Shout out to Ms. Marion! Her enthusiasm has made online learning so much fun for our 2nd grader! She is patient with the kiddos and works hard to make everyone feel included and engaged in class. Thank you, Ms. Marion!!!”

• "Shout out to Ms Mason and Mr C for all their PATIENCE and keeping the whole class engaged and encouraged ... even when they can see mom struggling on the other side"

• “Shout out for Ms. Vanduzer. She is kind, patient, and creative and lets everyone participate and enjoy learning all of the time! We love you!”

• "Shout out to Ms. Phillips for her unending energy and patience for teaching such a stellar 1st Grade Crew! She’s able to keep them all so engaged and connected, and she’s doing it all so gracefully! Thank you for having such great teachers for our kiddos!"

• "Shout out to Ms Turnipseed and her INFINITE patience. Shout out to ALL the teachers and parents of littles!!"

• “Shout out to Ms. Jolley, who is doing a wonderful job with her second-grade class! She has so much energy, makes it fun for the kids, and always does her job with a smile on her face. I’ve been so impressed with the kindness and compassion she continually teaches her students. She works so hard to make this experience the best it can possibly be for her students.Thank you Ms. Jolley!”

• “Shout out to Ms. Kaplan, who keeps my twins excited, happy, energized, and engaged in virtual learning. The girls are participating in fun and creative ways, and they love their class so much that they wake up excited to join their live morning meeting, and they are sad to end their school day! Thanks Ms. Kaplan for all you do for our kids!!”

• "Another shout out for Ms. Kaplan who has just as much energy and excitement at the end of week four as she did on day one. She is consistently patient, kind and engaging through all the trials and tribulations of virtually teaching 2nd graders!"

• “Shout out to Ms. Marquez for all of the energy and enthusiasm she puts into her virtual classes. Her love for teaching and her students exudes through the computer screen. We are so grateful for her!”

• "Joining this shout out for Ms. Marquez. Brand new to CSD and doing a fabulous job keeping kids engaged and excited about learning with a classroom of students with *very diverse needs and abilities."

• "Shout out to Ms. Marion!! Her lessons are organized and thoughtful. She shows so much enthusiasm, is very patient with the kids, and really has a knack for engaging them online. I am also impressed with how she weaves lessons on empathy and kindness into her classes. My second grader loves her!"

• Shout out to Ms Marion! Her enthusiasm has made online learning so much fun for our 2nd grader! She is patient with the kiddos and works hard to make everyone feel included and engaged in class. Thank you, Ms Marion!!!
  
• "Shout out to Mrs Shewan who always has the kids laughing at the 2pm slot - not an easy feat!!"

• “Shout out to Ms. Shewan! Our kids really enjoy her weekly creativity lessons. We have watched Ormie the pig too many times to count."

• Also, a shout out to the specials teachers who have worked hard to figure out how to get their curriculum to our kiddos through a screen.”

• "Shout out to Ms. Pierce (music class)!!!  For being so kind and patient! James loves her class, it’s so much fun and creative!! We love the music choices that she shares with the class, it’s a super fun class. Great job Ms. Pierce!"

• “Shout out to Ms. Rittenhouse and Ms. Dishman for their amazing job on the Flybrary! Our kids were so happy to receive their books. It was like Christmas morning!”

• "Shout out to Ms. Rittenhouse and Ms. Dishman, who ensured that a mix-up didn't prevent my kids from getting their much-anticipated library books (and shout out to whomever decided to increase the book allowance to four per week!)"

• "A second shout out from me to the Specials teachers! I cannot believe how awesome the classes have been considering the amount of participation required in a typical school classroom. To take these classes virtual is near impossible yet every time we finish one, my son talks about it the rest of the day. Great job!"

• "All the teachers have been BEYOND amazing during this unprecedented time!"
  
• "I really don’t think you can just shout out *some* of the teachers. All teachers and staff who have interacted with my 2nd grader have been beyond impressive. So kind, caring and enthusiastic. They’ve really made virtual learning so much fun."
  
• "Shout out to Ms. Copp for her small group work with my girls to help them with their math! She is so patient with them and with me when I forget to get them logged on!" 

• I would like Glenda Carter to be recognized. She has worked in the City of Decatur for over 20 years. She has only worked in two schools. Westchester and Oakhurst. She has been a faithful worker and has made a lifetime of friends from coworkers to families she’s had the pleasure of educating hundreds of children and many have come back to visit. I hope CSD loves and appreciates her as much as I do!
  
  
• Ms. Guerrieri and Ms. Pope are embodying “teamwork makes the dream work” - together, they are engaging Kindergarten students with joyful virtual learning. We are thankful to our teachers.
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Canty (Oakhurst), 1st grade teacher, for expertly engaging 20+ wiggly, silly, distracted kids with humor and enthusiasm EVERY DAY. She is a rockstar & I am in awe of her skill and energy! Thank you Ms. Canty!!
  
  
• Ms. Whelchel and Ms. Powers have embodied genuine energy, enthusiasm and incredible patience while teaching virtual Kindergarten. Thank you for making the most of a challenging environment - your gift at what you both do truly shines through!"

• I would love to give a shout out to Mrs. Ivey. She continues to find ways to connect with her first-graders each day. She always makes writing fun!
  
• Thank you Mr. Wagner for the patience, support, and loving-kindness you share with your Kindergarteners every day! You built relationships from day one with socially-distant, in-person visits and phone calls with parents. We appreciate the time you spend ensuring that all of your students are treated as individuals - your parent/teacher conference notes showed that you observe and notice each student, understanding their needs and applauding their progress. We will miss you as you transition to in-person teaching but are thankful for the continued connection we'll have (even if only once per week)! 
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Montgomery who has worked so hard to keep our kids engaged through the first semester of this crazy year. Thank you for all your work! 
  
  
• I wanted to send a shout-out to our great kinder teacher Mrs. Frix, and para Ms. Walsh. Mrs. Frix is endlessly patient and encouraging. She is never harsh, never short. She has excelled at virtual teaching and been so adaptable when there are technical difficulties. We love Mrs. Frix! Mrs. Walsh is so loving. She clearly holds each student close to her heart. She is always going above and beyond - even offering to personally deliver marshmallows to homes for an additional lesson because the kiddos ate theirs on the first day - oops! Mrs. Walsh is the best!
  
• We have been so blessed this year to have Mrs. Wertz as Gideon's kindergarten teacher.  She has performed mad scientist experiments, dropped off goodies at our home for Gideon to enjoy (hot chocolate to drink while talking with the class about our favorite things in winter), and, of course, visits from Rosie the Rabbit virtually.
  She has made kindergarten so special for Gideon, despite the virtual aspect. 
  
  
• I wanted to give a shout-out to Mrs. Wertz.  :-) Mrs. Wertz has planned fun seasonal crafts for our kids. She takes the time to prepare craft kits for each child and drops them off at our homes. My daughter is delighted to get a glimpse of her in person and has really enjoyed the projects. It's been a wonderful way to bridge the virtual divide.
  
  
• Shout out to Mrs. Frix and Mrs. Walsh for their continued support and enthusiasm. Thank you for fostering an amazing virtual community for your kindergarten class. We love you!
  
  
• A shout out to Lori Frix and Julia Walsh!  Through this first half of the year their dedication and patience with their students has been present everyday.  The care with which they communicate with the students and successes they have teaching Kindergarten in a virtual format is spectacular.  The preparation work week in, week out has been steady and significant to us as parents and our son.  They take time to deliver new materials to homes when needed and are always available to discuss ways to improve learning.  Thank you Lori and Julia!
  
  
• We’d like to give a shout out to Mrs. Howarth for creating such fun and creative art lessons! And for always being very positive in her feedback to students.
  
  
• We’d like to give a shout out to Coach Henry for her continued energetic positivity and for making PE so very fun!
  
  
• Thanks to Lori Bigham and Julie Parker and all the other wonderful teachers at Westchester! 
  
  
• Mrs. Parker makes learning phonics interesting and fun! She communicates very clearly and is so positive! As a parent, I have learned some phonics rules I didn’t know!
  
  
• I would love to shout out Mrs.Chandler for all the extra help she gives him Mrs.Howarth for the pencil sharpener because he lost his and she was so nice to make sure he had one in his reading package.
  
  
• Coach Henry for being so understanding when Miguel has his knee problem but gives him easy stretching to do
  
  
• Ms. Renaux has gone above and beyond this year teaching virtually.  She is on virtually from 8:30-3:00 with her students and is ALWAYS available for questions or comments for students. Plus she laughs a lot WITH her students. I hear her and it brings joy that even though it is hard to teach right now, you find time to share the joy with your students. I am more than grateful for consistently making virtual learning the absolute best that it can be for students and I know she works very hard for it to be easier on families.  Ms. Renaux is an excellent teacher as she models patience, perseverance and endless kindness. Thank you!
  
  
• I'd like to send a kudos for Ms. Renaux.  As I mentioned in our meeting, I'm hosting a pod with 5 children so I have visibility to several teachers from Westchester and F. Ave.  While the teachers are all working hard and doing an excellent job, I have to say Ms. Renaux is going above and beyond.  She is so warm and kind to the children.  Also, her curriculum is very strong.  Despite having such a large group with the restructuring, she manages to keep all the children engaged during the in-person lessons.  Lastly, and possibly most important, she makes learning fun.  Ms. Renaux made a sock puppet kit for every child in her class as part of a science project.  I have three children in her class now, and all three of them were so excited and motivated to complete this week's Star science report so that they could make their sock puppets and perform their report.  
  In addition to her wonderful engagement with the children, Ms. Renaux is very kind and complementary of her support teacher, Ms. Gwaltney.  She often thanks Ms. Gwaltney for her help during class and it's not just a throwaway "thanks."  She specifically states what she appreciates, which I think is excellent modeling for the children.  
  Speaking of Ms. Gwaltney, I would also like to give a shout out to her as well.  She's doing a great job helping with the small group breakouts for crew, math and reading.  You have some real gems on your team.
• Ms. Gwaltney- Oh her laugh and humor is contagious!  I can't imagine our school with her and I feel so privileged to have her in my child's virtual classroom each day.  She is an amazing human who truly loves teaching music and engaging with students in meaningful ways.  She is always ready to help as she supports Ms. Reanux's class as well as teaches excellent music lessons.  Thank you!
  
  
• Thank you to Mrs. Querubin for seeing and making connections with all her students! She makes time for speaking with each of them and listens with such enthusiasm to all of their sharing. Her attention to the unique needs of her students even virtually is so wonderful to see. We so appreciate her energy and love this year!
  
  
• Thank you to all the specials teachers for the hard work and the connections they make also with students! Mrs. Gwaltney, Mrs. Howarth, Ms. Nesbitt, Coach Henry, and Señora Rodes are all so engaging with their students, and give them time to participate and feel heard. It's amazing to see and hear what they are able to do in this challenging environment. 
  
  
• Shout out to WE PE Coach Henry has been an amazing co-leader assisting in daily crew meetings. Shout out also to the incredible Mrs. Parker for 1st grade this year. In these challenging and uncertain times, I am so grateful my daughter has two amazing teachers to inspire her (and honestly, me too!) to learn and grow everyday. We made a little video for Coach Henry on Monday, and you can all see it here: Video for Coach Henry's birthday!

• I want to give a shout-out to WP's 2nd-grade teacher, Ms. Kelly Stopp. When my daughter was having a very hard time, Ms. Stopp came to our driveway, masked, on a Friday afternoon and played math games with her for an hour and a half! Because of this selfless act, we saw our daughter engage more with virtual learning. Thank you Ms. Stopp for being amazing!
  
  
• I want to give a shout out to Melissa McArthur at Winnona Park.  In normal times,  Special Ed teachers have a tough job.  They are patient and kind and very creative.  During virtual learning,  Ms. McArthur has delivered weekly activities to our doorstep that help engage our son to learn and make it fun.  She has helped give structure and guide our family to helping our son learn in a way that is best for him.  We are so glad to have her as part of his teaching team!  He can’t wait to get back to school.
  
  
• Shout out to Winnona’s second grade teacher Kelly Stopp whose faucet of patience runneth over daily and seems to have a ceaseless refill!
  
  
• I'd like to give a shout out to Ms. Lambert and Ms. Hammond at WPES. They are so engaging and kind, and my kindergartener loves getting to chat with them before and after class. They consistently go the extra mile to help the kids experience the magic of kindergarten, even from home. 
  
  
• Shout-out to Ms. Funk at Winnona Park for going above and beyond to connect with my daughter and make her feel comfortable during virtual learning. We are so grateful to her!
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Westbrook for her constant patience, enthusiasm and loving support of her first grade students! She is the epitome of warmth, love and grace. We are grateful to have during this time!
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Spencer for being an amazing support teacher and helping our son succeed everyday! She has gone above and beyond including dropping off items at our house, coming up with innovative ideas, sending kind emails and being a support to us as parents just as much as to our child. We are grateful for you!

• I would like to give a shout out to it son’s 4th grade teacher, Ms Brittany Stewart at FAVE. She goes above and beyond to try and keep her students engaged. She encourages the students to share how they think and feel about current events after CNN 10, draws parallels to those events and historical events, uses fun videos to engage the students with everything from grammar to science science concepts.  She even visited every student in her class to deliver customized T-shirts and homemade holiday cards before the holiday break (masked, outside and socially distant, of course).  She is invested in every student and cares about their performance, holding them all accountable and giving extra support to those who are struggling.  We appreciate you and love you Ms Stewart!!
  
  
• Shout out to Dawn Stephen for being full of energy, humor, fun and creativity for her 3rd grade class at Fave. She makes every day entertaining and educational. She is dedicated to her kids in a way that leaves no doubt of her passion for her craft. She will leave unique items outside her home labeled for each kid for pick up to try to overcome barriers while carrying forward her innovative, engaging techniques. Tonight I came home to find the “measurement unit” involved a wire hanger with buckets on either end and having the kids run around to find items to balance the weights. I hope we never have to survive another pandemic but I wouldn’t want to be doing this without Ms Stephen on our quaranteam!!
  
  
• I wanted to give a shout out to Ms Miller at FAVE for immediately reaching out to my daughter when she was having a rough day.  Ms. Miller spent time talking to her one on one (virtually) and helped her come up with a plan to alleviate her anxiety.  She also went above and beyond by volunteering her time to teach a time management class to students on a Friday after school! I'm very thankful to have teachers like Ms. Miller and Ms. Simmons to help my daughter have the best experience learning virtually as possible.
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Chatham & Ms. Burns,  (FAVE) 4th-grade teachers. Thanks for every giggle and excited shout I hear from my 4th grader when he’s engaged in math contests and class polls during virtual school. Thank you for working so hard to engage your students, & to keep me informed of my child’s participation & progress. Thank you!

• Shout out to Ms. Ellspermann, Ms. Edwards, and the Talley Staff!
  
  
• I would like to shout out Talley’s Ms. Brown (Jatoria Brown) She creates such a fun and engaging virtual learning environment. Her dedication to teaching and to the students is evident in the way she encourages them. Through daily friendly greetings to their classmates, to positive self affirmations for the students, her kindness and positive attitude is contagious! We are very thankful for her. 
  
  
• When Lane had a rough day, Ms. Edwards called her after school to talk! We are so thankful for Ms Edwards who is caring, observant, and goes above and beyond!
  
  
• Shout Out to Ms. Childs at Talley Street ES for structuring an excellent Parent/Teacher conference and for using data to identify student’s strengths and needs.
  
  
• Shout out to Mrs. SanAngelo at Talley!  She goes above and beyond for her students. She is patient, kind and so encouraging!
  
  
• Shout out to Coach Nichols at Talley for helping the students have an awesome Wellness Wednesday every week!
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Reno and Ms. Rogers who keep these kids engaged and interested. The kids have so much fun they don't even realize they are learning! Both teachers take the time to really get to know their students and encourage their strengths as well as helping them to grow. I couldn't have dreamed of two better teachers for my son. Thank you both! 

• Shout out to 4th-grade teacher, Mr. Foy, for having a superhuman amount of patience and a positive attitude during virtual learning!
  
  Shout out to Ms. Reno and Ms. Rogers for making the kids look forward to each class! My son is engaged and excited for class, and he is genuinely interested in how you present the topics. I also appreciate all the patience and long hours you put in to make sure our kids are learning lots as well as having fun.

• Shout-out to Nathan Benzin for delivering Halloween candy IN PERSON so he could talk to his homeroom students. Masks, social distance, etc., were observed, but it made a difference for my 5th graders. The Benzin/Camarind team has THREE sets of identical twin girls, and Mr. Benzin had candy for the twins not in his homeroom, too!

• Shout-out to fourth-grade teacher Ms. Scott for sending hand-written notes to all of her students. It was a lovely surprise in the mailbox for my daughter!

• Shout Out to Ms. Spoeth and Ms. Reynolds for leading a creative, hands-on fossil project for 3rd graders!

• Shout 0ut to Ms. Fredette and Ms. Sanders, who keep their 5th graders engaged and organized. They are great at problem-solving and being flexible when there’s a problem with virtual learning.

• Shout Out to 4th Grade Teacher Mr. White! He goes above and beyond to connect with each child each day. He does his best to make virtual school fun and keep the kids engaged! Thanks Mr. White for all you do!!

• Shout out to Mr. White for being very present with our kids and keeping them learning and engaged.

• Shout out to Ms. Edwards, 3rd-grade teacher who is so dedicated to her students and making sure they are learning.

• When Lane had a rough day, Ms. Edwards called her after school to talk! We are so thankful for Ms. Edwards, who is caring, observant, and goes above and beyond!

• Shout out to Mrs. Barrenger for her enthusiasm and dedication to her students. She has done an incredible job building a classroom community virtually!

• Shoutout to Mrs. Woodbridge for being an engaging and loving teacher. She is always willing to go above and beyond. We have had her for 3 years now and our family is for the better because of her. We love both of them and are so grateful for them.

• Shout out to Mrs. Wren for making each child feel heard and appreciated.

• Shout out to Ms. Young and Mr. T! They show their students (and parents) that they truly care on an ongoing basis!

• Shout out to Ms. Ellspermann, 3rd-grade teacher, who has gone above and beyond to teach her students and keep them engaged in learning. She rocks!!

• Shout out to 4th grade Ms. Pacini! She has been so engaged throughout this entire virtual process. She has been very flexible and problem-solving with the kiddo’s needs.

• Shout out to Ms. Childs at Talley Street ES for structuring an excellent Parent/Teacher conference and for using data to identify student’s strengths and needs.

• Shout out to Mrs. SanAngelo at Talley! She goes above and beyond for her students. She is patient, kind and so encouraging!

• Shout out to Coach Nichols at Talley for helping the students have an awesome Wellness Wednesday every week!

• I am the parent of a 3rd grader in Ms. Bundschu's class at Talley Street Elementary.  Ms. Bundschu has not only made learning possible for my son and the other students in the class, but she has created a social bond between the students.  My son has said things like "Ms Bundschu really believes in us and really cares about us." She has truly had superhuman patience and unbelievable show of organization.  We are so grateful to her for making this year so good despite it being filled with so many new challenges.
• A shout out to Mrs. Young (and Mr. T in spirit) for an awesome Sunday afternoon visit/ pickup for their students. We got a truly awesome pandemic crew t-shirt as well as a carefully selected favorite candy for each kid (they did the candy intel weeks ago). It was so fun to meet Mrs. Young's family and see her in person. Way to go for creating fun ways to make student-teacher connections during this pandemic!

• Shout out to Ms. Dana Jackson (Renfroe) from Jillian Sobon (6th)She goes out of her way to be funny, and she is so kind and always stays positive no matter what the situation is.
  
  
• I wanted to give a big shout out to Mr. Kurt Collins who teaches Individuals and Societies at Renfroe for 6th grade. It's my favorite class to listen in on as his humor and presentation skills are STELLAR! I am constantly guffawing at his asides and my kids just love him as a teacher.  He is like a correspondent on the Daily Show.
  
  
• Shout Out to Dr. Guenthner at Renfroe MS for consistent communication about student work and progress.
  
  
• Shout out to Ms. Kanne at a Renfroe MS for continuing my child’s passion for art and for creating space in her virtual classroom where students can connect.
  
  
• I’m giving a giant shout out to Lisa Pierre. Too often in academics, we find it easy to thank our teachers when the kids are doing well…however it is the moments in which my 7^th grader is currently struggling that Lisa Pierre’s true awesomeness shines. Thank you for being so proactive and ensuring all the kids in your class meet and exceed their potential.
  
  
• Shout out to RMS Summer Clayton and Christopher Leonard. My daughter's acer chromebook died this morning and within an hour she had a school-issued dell chromebook in her hot little hands!

• Ms. Rios found a new approach to online teaching and it's very very helpful.  We watch videos in Spanish to help our comprehension, which is a fun way to learn.  She knows what it's like to have anxiety about being on camera, so she only makes us be on camera if we really need to.  And she came up with a system where we can put yellow or blue folders up for yes or no questions.  She makes sure the google classroom classwork tab is super organized so that we can find everything we need.

• Ms. Whitely started breaking up the lessons in a way where we all know what we're doing that day.  She always makes sure each student knows what's going on.  She breaks us up into groups, and most of us get to work with our friends.  She provides opportunities for enrichment that anyone can opt into.  She makes sure the google classroom classwork tab is super organized so that we can find everything we need and she has a website with a calendar so that we know what we're going to learn, and more.

• Ms. Kraemer makes sure that everyone gets to play if they want to, and she pushes us to play in front of the class.  She has a student teacher who teaches us about jazz.  Sometimes she puts us into breakout rooms by instrument so that we can talk about stuff we're working on and answer each other's questions.  She has us do flipgrid videos every week so that we get comfortable playing and having others watch and listen to us, and we still do pass-offs and work towards honor pins so that we're still challenged to keep learning.  She makes fun challenges like the 100 day challenge where we have to practice every day for 100 days. 

• I'd like to give a shout out to Coach Faulkner and Ms. Tigner for their tireless effort to help their special education students. They are excellent with parent communication and continue to engage and differentiate for their students. I truly appreciate all they do!
• Special education teacher at the HS. I spoke with one stressed out parent dealing with all the changes.  She said she was excited they had an IEP meeting coming up. I had never heard anyone use the language of excitement around that event. And she said, “Thank heaven for Desiree Cabrices.  She has been a gift to our family.  She goes above and beyond to make sure our family feels welcome in Decatur.”
  
  
• Both of my kids are lucky enough to have Catherine Thibadeau as an art teacher at DHS this year (Art 1 and IB Art). She reached out to my students before the school year even started to offer them encouragement and calm. She guides them in their projects but allows plenty of room for exploration. I love that so much of the IB art synchronous time is given to critique. I've been able to see some of the class's work and it is nothing short of amazing.
  
  
• My 9th grader has Ms. Coffin this year like her older sister did in 9th grade at DHS. My favorite thing is listening to Juno laughing and laughing during her synchronous time with Ms. Coffin. She delivers complex lessons and has high expectations, but she's created such a community in the virtual classroom that the students feel comfortable expressing themselves.
  
  
• Paul Johnson never stops working. He's teaching over 100 Calculus students at DHS this year and seems to always have time for individual meetings with the ones who need them. He also offers feedback on individual homework assignments knowing that any feedback that students get will help them master the material. It's really hard doing Calculus in a remote environment, but Mr. Johnson is making it work.
  
  
• I love it when both of my daughters get to experience the same teacher, and I'm delighted that Graham Perreira made the move from RMS to DHS. I love hearing my 9th-grade student chattering away en Espanol with a really good accent!
  
  
• Karina Green was a late-developing addition to the DHS math team, but a very welcome addition as far as my 9th grader is concerned. She takes the time to explain concepts and makes learning math stress-free.
  
• Rochelle, Wes Jessica, Jeannie, Duane, and Rodney, Taylor and Debra- These people do not miss a beat! Cohesive and transparent at all times and when there is a miscommunication or a need to apologize, all of them will humility! They rock!
  
  
• Rodney Thomas- Not trying to be biassed but this man has been a part of the DHS administration team while running athletics as well. And I know first hand how athletics can be! He has safely implemented protocols, policies, and procedures to ensure the safety of #ourathletes and #ourkids during this pandemic. 
  
  
• Coach William Felton- 1st year as the Football head coach and he is doing an exemplary job on and off the field and it shows. He is teaching accountability, discipline, and responsibility to these athletes and I have seen a dramatic change in the program.
  
  
• Coach Eric Dawson has not missed a beat with the kids in his class and the kids that he mentors. They respect and listen when he speaks. He will not steer a kid wrong.
• David Harbin for adding his additional thoughts to the athletic team. Also for his work on these learning pods. Good job!
  
  
• My 3 athletic custodians---- Cynthia, Hugh, and Tasha- Many times the custodial staff often goes unrecognized! I want to commend them on how they have kept the PAC spotless. They ask if there is anything we need on a daily basis and recently they tackled on cleaning under the visitor bleachers that probably haven't been cleaned in years and they all pitched in and they were done in 1 day! I appreciate them for all they do!