CA PRIDE - PAM SEXTON

Pam Sexton has that special something that enables her to really connect with our first grade students. In addition to the time she spends working with them in the classroom, Mrs. Sexton is the person who is on the playground with them daily during Mouse and Lion Break and lunch. This gives her the opportunity to have informal conversations with them and get to know their personalities. The children really come to trust her and look forward to sharing their special news with her each day.

I first met Mrs. Sexton when I taught her son, Greg, in second grade. I knew her as an active parent who supported her own children and was a great volunteer. When we had a large first grade class in 1993, my predecessor, Dottie Seward, knew just who to hire as a teaching assistant to Mrs. Wilson for that year. Of course, it turned out that Mrs. Sexton quickly became an invaluable member of the first grade teaching team and has continued in that role since then.

First grade language arts instruction is so critical to the future academic success of our students . With her degree in English, Mrs. Sexton has the background to help our young students build that strong foundation of writing and reading skills. It is safe to say that Mrs. Wilson cannot imagine teaching first grade without Mrs. Sexton as her partner. During math instruction, Mrs. Sexton manages to seem to see what everyone is doing all at the same time. She moves from child to child making sure he/she is on the correct task, has the correct supplies out, and is paying attention to instruction. During independent work, she continues to be “on the move” as she checks in with students to see who needs assistance.

Mrs. Sexton is also the first grade science teacher. She loves plants and animals. This makes her a natural to excite young learners about the topics that are taught in first grade science.

Mrs. Sexton over the years has also tutored a number of our students. Sometimes they need just a little help to get over the hump of mastering specific skills. Other times they benefit from ongoing tutoring just to keep them on track. I always enjoy seeing Mrs. Sexton working one on one with our students. She gives them just the support that they need and, in the process, forges special bonds with them. Part of this can simply be a little time for personal conversation that lets them know she cares and is interested in them. Now that is what I call fostering a love of learning.

CA PRIDE - NANCY PERKINS

Nancy Perkins is the first person that many of our students see each day. She greets them by looking them in the eye and shaking hands as they say good morning. The teaching and learning starts the moment the car door opens with that daily greeting. What a positive beginning to our young students' day.

 Most of you know that Mrs. Perkins has been our Kindergarten language arts teacher since 1987. You may not know that Mrs. Perkins also taught elementary art to our elementary students for a number of years and continues to work with Mrs. Davenport teaching first grade art. She brings her love for art and nature into the learning experience for kindergarten students through wonderful projects that enrich the language arts curriculum.

Mrs. Perkins dedicates herself to helping our kindergarten students develop essential reading, writing, and oral skills that give them a strong foundation for future academic success. Mrs. Perkins’ classroom is a calm, peaceful learning environment during reading and writing instruction. She moves about the room quietly directing and assisting as our young learners begin to become confident readers and writers. She uses Calico, the Bear, to inspire students to write in journals. It is a special weekend, when Calico comes home with a K student.

Mrs. Perkins knows that first hand experiences bring learning to life. She seeks community resources that will provide real life experiences whether through a field trip, bringing in a speaker, or doing a special project.
When the students are working on these projects, her classroom is filled with high energy and imagination . She provides a variety of materials to inspire the students’ creativity. They may be working individually or together happily talking about what they are doing. They might be at tables or on the floor. And when it is all finished, she is just as proud of their achievements and creations as they are. Students are so excited to tell me and their parents all about their gingerbread houses or mouse houses or garden landscapes.

Mrs. Perkins has a gentle, soft spoken approach when talking with students. At the same time she has high expectations for best effort and excellent conduct from her students at all times. She models these expectations in the way she goes about doing her job in and out of the classroom. .

Mrs. Perkins is a true CA supporter. You can spot her at most school activities whether they involve her current K students or not. For example, she frequently helps with our CARES Club meetings. This year she has stayed after school to help supervise and cheer on the running club. I think it is great for our older students to know that their kindergarten teacher still takes an interest in what they are doing. Now that is what I call fostering a love of learning.

CA Pride - Tammy Penland

Tammy Penland is absolutely as excited about learning as our students are! She is constantly looking for new ideas that will enhance the learning experience for them. Best of all she stays "tuned in" to what the kids are interested in and draws her inspiration directly from them.

Mrs. Penland has been with CA for 8 Years. I first met her when she started volunteering in her nephew's class and discussed doing observations and an internship as part of her early childhood education classes. She began working on some special projects for us and is now a full time employee..

You may know Mrs. Penland as the kindergarten teaching assistant for both the morning program and K-Cubs in the afternoon. (I will write more about her role in developing our K-Cubs program in a future blog.) She is the kindergarten art teacher as well. Or you may know her as the Adventure Kids coordinator who plans our wonderful after school program for first through fifth grade students. Some of you know her as a tutor who has helped students strengthen their skills. Regardless of how you know her, one thing is certain. Mrs. Penland approaches everything she does with enthusiasm, dedication and hard work.

Mrs. Penland is constantly looking for opportunities for professional development. For example, she attended Handwriting Without Tears training a few years ago and is able to work with Mrs. Perkins to carry out this program in kindergarten. She also has taken sign language classes and has been teaching that to our kindergarten students. She models the love of learning for our students on a regular basis by learning new skills herself and then using them to enrich their learning experiences.

If you know Mrs. Penland at all, you probably know about her love of animals. She is a regular volunteer at the Portsmouth Humane Society. She brings her passion for taking care of animals to our students. For the past few years she has helped kindergarten students sponsor a drive to collect coins, food, and bedding materials for the shelter. She turns this into a math lesson as well as having the kids tally and graph how many items they collected before gift wrapping them and taking everything to the shelter for Christmas. She also helps CARES club with its annual animal shelter project.

Mrs. Penland's commitment to community service is not limited to helping animals. She looks for other opportunities to involve our students in projects that will help others. A great example is the Stone Soup project that is now an annual tradition for both kindergarten and CARES CLUB students. Based on the classic story, our students prepare enough soup to provide a lunch to approximately 100 homeless people at OASIS in Portsmouth. This is quite a process of chopping, measuring and getting it just right to make a delicious hearty meal. Mrs. Penland along with her husband, Mark, and many adult volunteers make this happen. Our students love knowing that they are doing something to make a difference in the lives of others. Now that is what I call fostering a love of learning.

CA PRIDE - DONNA KEENE

One of my favorite things is to hear Donna Keene laugh with her students. It is easy to tell that she enjoys learning,exploring and playing just as much as her young students. Donna Keene has been our Preschool teacher for sixteen years. In addition, Mrs. Keene along with Mrs. Penland started our afternoon K - Cubs program in 2008. I will I write about that program in a future blog.

Teaching our youngest students presents unique challenges and opportunities. It begins with that first day of school which may be their very first time away from Mom and Dad or grandparents. There usually are tears those first days (sometimes it is the parent’s and not the child's tears). In just a short time Mrs. Keene, along with Mrs. Deans, have the children so busily engaged in playing, singing, creating, and making new friends that the tears disappear replaced by smiles. There is always time for a hug or a word of encouragement and, best of all, shared laughter.

It is hard to describe all that happens in our Preschool class without oversimplifying. Circle time is a great example. Circle time typically includes taking turns being the leader, adding a date to the calendar, checking the weather, listening to stories, and singing. A closer look gives you the idea of the cognitive, academic, motor and social skills that are introduced and reinforced during circle time. Our young students are learning to function in a group by following a routine and classroom rules such as transitioning from one activity to another and showing respect for each other's space and time to speak. Students don’t just add another number to the calendar. They are learning the day of the week, month , and year. They count the days building number recognition and counting skills. Then they use the letter of the month or of their name to begin recognizing other words with that same sound. Learning continues with a story related to the theme for the day along with songs. Story time often leads to lively discussions. The songs typically include motions and movement. Often there is time for kids to request their favorite songs again and again. Keep in mind that all that I have described and more happens in about twenty minutes. Ms. Kenne moves through it seamlessly and with lots of smiles and encouragement. And then it is on to crafts, outdoor play, centers, and snack (which is also a learning time).

What I value the most about Mrs. Keene is the way she gets to know each child individually. She knows well that each child will achieve developmental milestones at his or her own pace. She can also tell when something is impeding a child’s progress and possible future learning difficulties. She is on the front line of our young students' education which is the best time to begin intervention. Over sixteen years her instincts have almost always been right on target.

Mrs. Keene has created a warm, nurturing classroom with many different areas for the children to play, learn, and make friends. She is constantly refreshing these centers with different toys, manipulatives, materials and games. I know that she is always looking for additional resources and ideas to enhance the learning experience because I see these new ideas in action. I think the best resource she brings to her instruction is her own curiosity, joy in learning something new together, and especially sharing laughter with her students. Now that is what I call fostering a love of learning.

CA PRIDE - Leigh-Ann Hartley

Ms. Hartley often tells me that she is the fun teacher! And then she quickly adds with a smile that this only because she is the one who takes the Pre-K students out on the playground each day. I think many of the kids will say this is true because she has just the right balance of good humor and high expectations. I enjoy dropping in on Ms. Harley's class because I know that I will see students who are actively engaged in learning in the most interesting ( and often fun ways).

Since joining the Christopher Academy staff in 1996, Ms. Hartley has become a respected leader among our faculty. Most of you know her as the Pre-K music teacher who plans and directs our wonderful Pre-K musicals including Grandparents Day, Angel Band, and Calendar of Songs. Our Bears, Ducks, and Fish love to sing and have acquired quite a repertoire of songs by the end of the year. Many of these songs reinforce academies skills such as letters of the alphabet or counting. Others are just for fun or provide a way to move and coordinate specific motions. Getting thirty Pre - K students to sing and perform before an audience would be a daunting task to most of us. Ms. Hartley with the help of her team teachers makes it look easy!

A nice surprise for our elementary students is to discover that they have Ms. Hartley for their social studies teacher in first, second and third grades. After the Pre-K students leave, she shifts gears and teaches afternoon social studies class with same energy and enthusiasm. Students explore a range of topics in such interesting ways. You might find Ms. Hartley sharing a very interesting book or video or you might find the students role playing a moment in history. They become urban planners, map makers, and lawmakers. They go on fantastic field trips to Olde Towne, Colonial Williamsburg ,and the Jamestown Settlement. They learn to take notes and are expected to demonstrate mastery of concepts through projects, presentations and tests....all with a smile and a "can do" from Ms. Hartley.

Many of you may not know that Ms. Hartley has administrative duties as well. As the Preschool Lead Teacher, she works closely with both the Preschool and Pre-K teams to ensure continuity in curriculum, to coordinate schedules, and to collaboratively plan programs and school events.

I often tell Ms.Hartley that the best kept secret at CA is that she is a very firm teacher. She has very high expectations for both excellent conduct and best effort at all times. She has an amazing ability to redirect poor behavior and encouraging best efforts while not missing a beat with whatever she and the students are doing at that moment. Students want to meet her expectations and do their best...now that is what I call fostering a love of learning.

CA Pride - Martha Diorio

When you walk into the second grade classroom, you will immediately sense that this is an inviting, warm learning environment. And you will also quickly recognize that it is extremely well ORGANIZED! I will use all kinds of adjectives to describe Martha Diorio, but organized is always high on the list. How I envy that ability she has ...and her very neat desk!

So what does this tell you about her as a teacher ? It tells you that she is well prepared for her students with lessons planned well in advance including the best way to incorporate special projects and events into the learning. It means that the students develop a consistent daily routine with clear expectations. While she is quick to give a consoling hug or a compassionate listening ear, she also lets the children know that she has high standards for good conduct and best effort.

You may not know that Mrs. Diorio first joined our staff as a Teaching Assistant for second grade. Although she was a qualified teacher, she was interested in working with us for a few hours each week at that time. As it turned out, we had an opening for a second grade teacher the very next year. What a great way for Mrs. Diorio to prepare for her new job. She immediately began to put her own special touch on our second grade curriculum by  planning meaningful (and fun) projects and events to enrich the curriculum and program. A great example is the recent robot project the students did following a story they read in class. They had a great time bringing in all kinds of items that are typically trash and covering their classroom with paper towel rolls, boxes, cans, and bottles. Students loved designing and creating their own robots.

Mrs.Diorio also teaches keyboarding to our fourth grade students and works with fifth grade students on projects using technology. It is interesting for her to be able to continue her connection with her former second grade students.

Mrs. Diorio finds ways to connect with her students’ parents and involve them in the learning process. This results in their participation in special events during the year. Students learn about their ancestors through a special food tasting that turns into a feast. Parents are invited in to share information about their jobs on career day. And there are a couple of special days for Moms and Dads. Students and parents enjoy learning together through these activities. Now that is what I call fostering a love of learning.

CA Pride - Julie Deans

I really enjoy listening to Julie Deans when she is working with our preschool students in the computer lab across from the office. Sometimes it is hard to tell who is more excited .. Mrs. Deans or the children! She is so happy when a child succeeds in mastering a skill or discovers something new. This enthusiasm for helping young children learn characterizes Mrs. Deans approach to teaching Quite simply she loves kids and that says it all.

I first met Mrs. Deans when I was hired to teach 2nd and 3rd grade classes at The St. Christopher School and taught one of her children. When I returned a few years later as Head of School, my predecessor recommended that I hire Mrs. Deans as a Teaching Assistant in Preschool. Little did either of us know that we would still be working together sixteen years later...and how glad I am that we are! One of the things I value so highly is her perspective as a parent of former students and her sense of CA's history.

You may not know that Mrs. Deans is also the Teaching Assistant with first grade science and social studies classes in the afternoon . For several years she supervised lunch for various grade groups including fourth and fifth grade students. She often has told me how much she enjoys the opportunity to interact with students she first taught at the age of three. She continues to supervise lunch with K students on Tuesdays.

Being a very creative person, Mrs. Deans taught the Kindergarten art class for many years and has also
taught Adventure Kids art classes. Maybe her son, Matt, gets his creative talent from her. He designed our Mouse and Lion logo.

Mrs. Deans brings the same level of interest and caring about the individual child to her teaching regardless of the age or grade. She has high expectations of her students and wants to see each child be the best that he or she can be. She has this innate ability to sense when a child is not okay whether it is due to not feeling well or being sad about something. I believe our young students sense this and, as a result, feel secure and nurtured.

Every now and then, Mrs. Deans comes to me and says “You just have to see what the kids are doing.” (I have shared some of these moments with you via Facebook.) When I get to the room, I have to say again that it is hard to tell who is more enthusiastic about what is happening ...the students or Mrs.Deans! Now that is what I call fostering a love of learning.