exceptional people extraordinary hearts
TRANSCRIPT
VOY Booklet:Layout 1Nominations 2011-2012
Thanks for improving our world in your most exceptional way.
Camdenton R-III School District Volunteers
Exceptional People
Extraordinary Hearts
Dogwood Elementary
Jonna Kenniston written by Kindergarten Teacher Katy Cunningham
Diane Knoll written by 2nd Grade Teacher Kelly Mooney
Mag Leahy written by Kindergarten Teacher Kim Palomo
Jori LeMay written by Kindergarten Teacher Jackie Job
Jori LeMay written by 1st Grade Teacher Laura Stewart
Carol Lynch written by 1st Grade Teacher Vicki Luber
Earline Medcalf written by Kindergarten Teacher Amber Keeney
Ingrid Niemann written by Kindergarten Teacher Kim Pool
Kathy Peery written by First Grade Teacher Marcia Hutchinson
Jeni Simpson written by Kindergarten Teacher Karen DenHartog
Ronda Stehle written by Instructional Coach Lucinda Varner
Ed & Nancy Wedig written by First Grade Teacher Marcia Hutchinson
Hawthorn Elementary
Jodi Hanner written by 3rd Grade Teachers Desta Franklin, Tami Moulder, and Literacy Coach Cindy James
Jonna Kenniston written by 3rd Grade Teachers Barb Anderson, Jamie Hedrick, and Allison Jolly
Rhonda Wilkening written by 3rd Grade Teachers Shelley Atkins, Beverly Eichholz, and Jaclyn Johnson
Oak Ridge Intermediate
Michele Brother written by 6th Grade Teachers Lynette Franklin and Lolly Whittle
Erin Price written by Art Teacher Mary Kay Roofener
Jackie Moore written by 5th Grade Teachers Christina Calvert and Diana Riley
Jeni Simpson written by 5th Grade Teacher Eric Cook
Camdenton High School
Patti Lear written by Speech and Drama Teacher JoBeth Nicklas
2011-2012 Volunteer of the Year Submissions
Amber Akers This school year began with many new changes to the structure of Dogwood Elementary. We all moved into new hallways that became ‘communities’ within each hall. Keep in mind I had been in the same room since I came to Dogwood 16 years ago! I was feeling VERY overwhelmed with a new classroom, a new storage
area (less storage ) and a new group of colleagues. I was having trouble finding materials and activities and then was running out of time to complete the necessary prep work for my lessons/activities. Once again my outstanding volunteer program was able to provide an answer to my prayers! My volunteer has been a lifesaver. She makes a good day great and a bad day better. I look forward to her smile each week. No matter the task at hand, she is always willing and able to complete her basket of work. Many times there is copying to do, activities to cut, hot glue to dispense, and things to put together. She is always up to the challenge. Without her, I would not be able to make learning in my classroom exciting and challenging. I would also be spending countless hours after school or on the weekends to complete the prep work.
Due to the nature of my schedule, I’m sometimes not as prepared as I should be when my volunteer arrives. She arrives each week with a smile on her face and enthusiasm that is contagious! She is always patient with me and waits for me to finish compiling her “basket”. I appreciate her time and patience with me!
Submitted by Reneé Dyer Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Michelle Brothers Once in a while a person comes along that you know is going to be just what you need at just the right time. Our volunteer is that person. It has been so wonderful to have someone who is always dependable, competent, and willing to help out in any way. No matter what we ask of her, how much we ask her to do, how sketchy the directions are, or how unprepared we are for her visit, she is always smiling, willing to wait for us to gather materials, and happy to do
whatever we ask. Many times she is coming straight from the hospital, right off her shift, still in her scrubs. She never misses, lets us know ahead of time if there’s a schedule change, never, ever interrupts our classes, but just waits patiently until we are finished with whatever we are doing. Our volunteer takes the initiative to organize things for us, so that it will be easier the next time, or next year. One of the most wonderful things about her help is that everything is always done correctly. The way we ask for it is the way we get it. There are no surprises when we go to use the materials she has prepared. We truly don’t know what we’d do without her. Thank you, many times over! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Submitted by Lolly Whittle and Lynette Franklin Oak Ridge Intermediate 6th grade teachers
Lynn Crawford As my school year began my
eager 1st graders arrived ready to embark on the new year together; we settled into our routine of learning how to read. Each child takes a book home to read each night to practice
his/her reading skills. I quickly discovered a couple of kids were not completing their reading each night. I asked if there was a volunteer who would be willing to come in to read with these kids. That’s when I was introduced to my volunteer. She arrives each and every Tuesday morning, faithfully. During this time, she listens to several kids read so that they can maintain their reading skills and she works with kids who are struggling with other skills. These skills may include reading, writing or math. She is always ready for the challenges that lay in front of her. She brings her own notebook to take notes on how the kids are doing from week to week. She shares her observations of the children she is assisting at the appropriate times so not to interrupt instruction. She is encouraging and cheerful with the kids she is working with by giving them positive feedback and re-teaching the skills they are missing.
One particular student rarely reads at home and my volunteer fills out his reading log so he can earn his rewards. Without her, this student would not be making progress in his reading skills and reading levels. When her schedule allows, she drops by to spend a few minutes reading with this particular
Lynn Crawford continued: student. This is above and beyond her volunteer duties! I feel without her this child would not be maintaining his reading skills.
If my volunteer did not volunteer each week I would have to find the time within our packed schedule to re-teach individual students. Her dependability has freed my re-teaching time considerably this school year. She has given that little boost to those who need someone to “watch” them complete their work and to help them when they were struggling. Her time is priceless and invaluable to me and to my students.
Submitted by Reneé Dyer Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Kelly Diehl My Volunteer - Helper In All Areas!
My volunteer is definitely Volunteer of the Year, in my book! She works nonstop for me and several other teachers in several buildings! You never know what building you will find her in! If she isn’t volunteering
for a teacher, she is often working on PTO projects for our district!
She stops by my room almost every day to check on me! Often she brings me a treat! Having her help me is “treat” enough for me!
No task is too much for my volunteer! She will do whatever you ask and often does it in a better way then what you ask! She always knows what I’m thinking and jumps on every project!
She is a wonderful person to be around and to have in your classroom working with the kids! She makes them feel loved and praises their efforts. She pushes them to do their best.
As you can see, she does much more than volunteers, she takes care of my students and me! She is the “happy spot” in most of our days!!
Submitted by Stefanie Wirths Dogwood Elementary 2nd grade teacher
Linda Frymyer Often I find myself thinking, “What would I do without Ms. L.?” She is such a valuable asset to our classroom and students’ learning! Ms. L started volunteering in my classroom last year and I’m SO thankful she did!!!
Ms. L. does a wide variety of things to help us! She helps me prepare for lessons by making copies, cutting shapes out of paper, cutting lamination, gluing pages in our poetry books, and much more. She has sharpened hundreds and hundreds of pencils for the kids so they don’t have to spend valuable learning time waiting in line for the pencil sharpener. She helps me with organization by filing papers and she didn’t even complain when I gave her yet another large stack of papers to file after she had already spent hours on this task. The students are always so excited to see her! She is a part of our classroom family! Ms. L. always has such a positive outlook and a smile to greet us with when she comes!
Dedicated is an excellent word to describe my volunteer. When it is time to leave, if she still has things on her “to do list,” she will often take them home with her. She also came in over the summer to help me get my classroom ready. Ms. L. was working hard on cutting some papers for me and she accidentally deeply cut her finger on the paper cutter and had to go to the doctor. (She probably wouldn’t want me to tell you about this!) After this accident happened, she still took the time to bring her finished jobs back to the classroom and was concerned about the items that weren’t completed. Then she came in the next day to finish. This is true dedication! She will do whatever it takes to get the job done!
Diligence is another word that describes Ms. L. She always wants to do things just the way I want them. She does not just rush through a job to get it done. Instead, she works very thoroughly to get them done right!
Consistency is another adjective that describes my volunteer. Whenever I request a volunteer, I ask for someone who will come consistently every week. They matched the request excellently because my volunteer does! I really appreciate this quality in her because it helps me when planning out the week.
Linda Frymyer continued: Not only does Ms. L. volunteer for our class, she also volunteers in the library a different day of the week and then stops by my room to see if I have anything for her to work on. She also volunteers for a variety of other activities. She loves to help others, which shows through the amount of time she volunteers at our school and also outside of school!
These are just a few of the numerous things my volunteer does for us. She has truly been invaluable! She is VERY worthy of the “Volunteer of the Year” award to recognize all that she does!!!
Submitted by Cindy Clift Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Jody Hanner What would you like to do when you
retire? Play golf, travel, or watch TV? Well, our volunteer loves all those activities but she also loves working with kids. So, every Tuesday and Thursday she comes in and works with students that need extra help or some special attention.
How wonderful it is to see her smiling face two days a week knowing that our students are in good hands when they need assistance. Our teachers also love the fact that she is a retired teacher so they don’t have to write out directions; they just send the student with their assignment and she knows exactly what to do!
We are very blessed to have such a gracious and dedicated volunteer and friend. We feel she deserves to be named the Volunteer of the Year.
Submitted by Cindy James, Desta Franklin, and Tami Moulder Hawthorn Elementary Literacy Coach and 3rd grade teachers
Jonna Kenniston I have had the privilege of working with the same volunteer since 2003. I never even have to turn in the request form for her each year, she just says “I’ll be your volunteer next year” when the current year is over! I am so lucky to have her. She also volunteers for two other teachers in my grade. She has been a
volunteer for one of them for three years and the other teacher for five years.
Our volunteer is more of a “behind the scenes” volunteer. She does not help in my classroom but she does jobs that make my classroom run more smoothly. She shows up every Wednesday without fail ready to do whatever task needs to be done. Most weeks it is running off papers - lots of time spent standing in front of the copy machine! She has gladly sharpened hundreds of pencils, set up bulletin board displays, and torn many math workbook pages out for us. We no longer do swish, but when we did she was helpful in getting it ready for the kids.
This year the 3rd and 4th grade teachers attended a math workshop which had a great idea for teaching place value. The 4th grade teachers had a volunteer make these place value activities for them. Third grade wanted the same activity so we asked our volunteer to make them for all ten of us. Unfortunately, we
weren’t exactly sure how the place value activities were put together. Our volunteer took on the challenge! It took her three weeks, but like always, the job got done! We were so thankful that she didn’t quit on us but worked until the job was finished. She is a lifesaver!
Our volunteer sorts and organizes materials, makes and binds books, prepares many manipulative activities for better student understanding, and will even copy work for all the teachers in our grade level if the need arises.
Our volunteer has been with us for many years and knows exactly how we like things done. She takes pride in every job we ask her to do and makes our jobs a little less hectic. She is always friendly, is quick with a smile, and very professional. We couldn’t do our jobs as effectively without her help. She definitely deserves the title “Volunteer of the Year!”
Submitted by Barb Anderson, Allison Jolly, and Jamie Hedrick Hawthorn Elementary 3rd grade teachers
Jonna Kenniston I don’t know where to begin when it comes to my wonderful, dedicated volunteer! She has been with me for many years now, and I have come to know her very well.
She is here for me pretty much every day. She always comes down to check on me and see if there is anything I need her to do. She is here long hours, and then, often takes my projects home to finish if she runs out of time. She is willing to do whatever I need done, and more! The work she does is always done in a timely manner. I am always surprised how fast she gets it all finished! Not only does she get it done, but she is very organized and thoughtful about how she gets it back to me.
My volunteer does so many jobs for me; I can’t even list them all! She copies, die cuts, takes pictures, decorates my hallway space, works with some of my students, organizes my memory books, and so much more! She also volunteers in Hawthorn and still manages to get my work done too. She is a gem!
I sing her praises! What a great volunteer as well as friend. Over the years, I have gotten to know her and have seen the super person she is and all that she takes on. She is also our lunchroom monitor, which only puts more pressure on her busy day! She is very dedicated and I feel very fortunate to have had her for so long now. I only hope she sticks with me for many more years to come. My school life would not be the same if I didn’t get to see her each day because she makes me laugh, when sometimes it’s hard to do so.
I hope this expresses how valuable my volunteer is to me and how happy I am to have been blessed with such a great helper and friend!
Submitted by Katy Cunningham Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Diane Knoll My volunteer is a very special person. She is dependable, efficient, and helpful. She is always willing to do whatever I need her to do! She is also dedicated to my students because she does everything for them!
She comes every Tuesday to help me be ready for the next week. She is cheerful, funny, and always makes me smile. We always check with each other about our family news and health. My volunteer is so dedicated to helping us that even when she was facing some serious medical issues, she would not stop volunteering; but for a few weeks. She is strong, hopeful, thoughtful, and determined to be helpful and dependable to my students.
She begins helping me before school even starts with all the projects to get my classroom ready. She comes every week during the year and helps me wind down the year as consistent and dependable as I could ever hope to have a volunteer be.
My volunteer is my friend and my lifesaver. She sometimes knows what I want or need before I do. She truly cares for and about my students and myself, as we care about her too. My class is excited and happy to see her each week as well!
My volunteer helps out around our building with other projects as well. She is so caring and concerned about how she can help students and teachers all the time.
I hope this helps you know how special and valued my volunteer is to my students, our school, and me!
Submitted by Kelly Mooney Dogwood Elementary 2nd grade teacher
Mag Leahy A great thing happened to me five years ago - I met my perfectly amazing, reliable, devoted, loving, patient and caring volunteer. It is very hard for me to refer to her as a volunteer because I consider her a team member and a friend.
At the beginning of each year she brings in school supplies that she has purchased in case I have students that can’t afford them. I also have something called “The Giving Tree” which are items that I ask parents to donate that are
Mag Leahy continued: related to special projects through the year (for example, candy to decorate gingerbread houses, cereal to graph, etc.) The items that parents don’t pick off of “The Giving Tree” are always picked up by my volunteer.
My volunteer started out working with my students every other week for two hours and for the last four years she comes every week and works with my students for almost four hours. She greets each student by name with a smile and a helping hand. She helps my students get ready for the day and talks to them about their morning. Each morning that she comes to our classroom she comes down the hall and enters our room with a big smile and a blue bag filled with her “supplies.” If we are working with coins, she brings her own coins to work with the students; she brings her own notepad to take notes on each child’s progress, so that I know how they did.
Submitted by Kim Palomo Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Patti Lear My volunteer came to me about
half way through the year after hearing that I was struggling keeping up with things due to my mother’s broken back and my own major surgery leave of absence. She asked if she could come in and help me out
in any way she could, which is exactly what came to pass.
During her short time so far as a volunteer, she has gone from coming in one day a week to, sometimes five days a week depending on how much work there is to be done. She has done a variety of different tasks such as setting up and keeping track of spreadsheets, compiling event programs, sorting and doing school laundry, and organizing all sorts of things that I don’t even begin to know how to organize. She is detail oriented and meticulous about all of the tasks she takes on. She sees what needs to be done and how my classroom works and has to ability to just “know” what
needs to be done without me making suggestions. She is already talking about “next year” and how she thinks she can make things run more efficiently. She does this all with a smile on her face and an open heart.
Without her, this year might have not have been the best for me, my students, or the activity I sponsor. I owe her a debt of gratitude that cannot be expressed through this or any words. With her help, my classes, and my extra-curricular activity reached heights we haven’t reached before. Without her, I cannot imagine how we could have undertaken such a massive project is such a successful fashion.
I would love to see her as “Volunteer of the Year” for all of the reasons listed above.
Submitted by JoBeth Nicklas High School speech and drama teacher
Jori LeMay I don’t think I can express in words how grateful I am to have my amazing volunteer! Over the past few years my volunteer and I have formed a wonderful relationship. Each year, the students in my class also have the opportunity to form a relationship with her. We are so lucky! I feel like she knows me so well and understands my needs and the needs of my students. She does all she can to take care of us in many ways!
My volunteer has a family of her own and I know there are many other things she could be doing for herself or her family during the long hours she puts in serving us here at school. She comes in with a smile every week, ready to do whatever I lay in front of her! She even helps me at the last minute if I’m in a pinch! She has spent many hours running copies, making die cuts, etc., even when it wasn’t her scheduled day to volunteer. I don’t know what I would do without her!
My volunteer does a variety of jobs for me. She works with my little kiddos, helping them and supporting them, just giving them that little extra push to get over that hump, by practicing counting, writing, recognizing their ABC’s and making their sounds, recognizing coins and their value. My students grin
Jori LeMay continued from ear to ear when I call their name to go work with my volunteer. She builds their self-esteem and makes them feel special.
She makes copy after copy, sharpens hundreds of pencils, and cuts tiny pieces of yarn, copies, cuts out and staples tiny booklets. Hangs things and takes things down in the hallway, colors games for
literacy centers… the list goes on and on. Her time spent doing these things for my class allows me to spend time with my dear family, rather than late nights and weekends at the school preparing materials for my class. For this I am truly thankful, more than she could know! Not only does my volunteer help my students and myself, but she also helps other teachers in the building. She steps up anytime our school needs help or manpower to get a job done.
Every volunteer gives a very special gift to those they serve. My volunteer has given my class, our school, and myself, her time, her smile, and lots of love. And for this we thank her from the bottom of our hearts!
Submitted by Jackie Job Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Jori LeMay Wow! I cannot believe the end of another school year is just around the corner. I have had another
wonderful year with my volunteer. She has been such a helping hand and great friend throughout the school year. There are many
reasons why I believe she should be “Volunteer of the Year”.
My volunteer is very hard working and helpful. Before the school year even began, she came into school for the day to help get my classroom ready. She helped with decorations, putting labels on books and around the room and getting folders ready. By the end of the day, my classroom looked picture perfect for the school year! She also volunteers for several other teachers and around the school throughout the week. That shows me that she is truly dedicated to volunteering at Dogwood Elementary and enjoys her time helping others.
My volunteer is also reliable. She volunteers for me once a week, and I know every week she will complete my work on time. I also know that if I have any other work I need done through- out the week, it will be completed with no problems. Even if I do not ask, she will pop in and out of my classroom throughout the week and see if there is anything I need completed. Having a reliable volunteer is very important to me, so I consider myself very lucky!
Lastly, my volunteer is very kind and a wonderful friend. I feel that she is someone at school I can always count on. She has always been there to listen to my stories, answer my questions, and give me helpful advice. She always asks how I am doing and will stop by my classroom to catch up. I feel we have a great connection and work very well together. She has volunteered for me for two years now and I hope she will continue to do so for many more years.
You should pick my volunteer for “Volunteer of the Year” because of all these great qualities! She truly loves dedicating her time as a volunteer and is always willing to go above and beyond. I cannot wait to share many more memories together with her! Thank you my volunteer for all you do!
Submitted by Laura Stewart Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Carol Lynch My lovely lady is truly a volunteer that deserves recognition.. and here are just a “wordful” of reasons why.
olunteers with a smile.
pportunities are afforded to me to dedicate my time and energy to student instruction because I never have to run papers, laminate, or do the tedious tasks of teaching. My volunteer does them for me.
ove her consistency! You can count on her to be there when she says. Even when duty calls (for being a grandma) she always let’s us know and comes in another day to help out.
Carol Lynch continued ltimate motivator! Each week when my volunteer enters my room she brings her smile and willingness to work! It is contagious.
ever say NEVER! Her attitude is at your disposal. She works for two teachers here at Dogwood and she never complains about the workload in her basket. She never leaves with stuff undone either. She either stays longer or takes it home to complete.
otally dedicated! She has been a volunteer since 1995! And she keeps on giving of her time, talents, and positive attitude!
fficient! You can count on her to complete your tasks on time and correctly.
xceptional! She can even read my notes. In all my “business” my volunteer is able to read my chicken scratch on the post its and know pretty much what I want her to do. We joke that she is lucky that her other teacher is more particular; but she has learned to read my style well and it works for us!!
eady to undertake any task! Even my filing folders that topple over with papers that never fully got filed without her! She’s amazing.
I love my volunteer because she works with me to complete me!
Submitted by Vicki Luber Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Earline Medcalf Volunteer or Friend?
It almost feels like a disservice to call my friend my volunteer. However, she is exactly that…. my kindergarten volunteer and my friend. In both regards, she is the best there is!
My friend goes out of her way in every aspect of volunteering. She comes two full days every single week. She does it all; works with students, makes copies, changes out bulletin boards (her favorite), gives assessments, and works on special projects for our classroom. Many times, she has taken things home to work on in between her days at school.
My friend truly cares about the well- being of our students. She keeps a list of their names at home. When she learns something new about one of them, she writes it down when she gets home. She studies this sheet to truly learn all about the
kids. She knows what they like, dislike, their hobbies, etc. She uses this knowledge as a tool to build a trusting relationship each kiddo so they respond well while working with her.
Every holiday, my volunteer makes special treats and activities for the students. For Valentine’s Day she made each student a personalized card on her computer and printed them herself. She does this for every holiday. The students absolutely love her and look up to her. They always tell her how pretty she looks, that she smells good and how they love her clothes.
One day, we did a writing lesson on friendship. For an example of this lesson we wrote a writing piece about our volunteer. Here is what the kids wrote about her as a whole class:
This is Mrs. _______. She is kind. She has a cute hairstyle. She is nice to people. She has cute boots. She is pretty. She helps us. She takes care of us.
I feel exactly the same way as the kids do in my kindergarten class. If there ever was a person deserving of volunteer/friend of the year, it is my very good friend, my volunteer. Please consider her for this award; she really shines!
Submitted by Amber Keeney Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Jackie Moore Our volunteer greets us on Wednesday mornings with a huge smile and energy to match. She takes the time to inquire how we are doing and genuinely seems interested. We definitely enjoy when she has something to share about the world around us.
This is our first year for having her as a volunteer for our classrooms. She is always punctual and communicates with us if she is unable to come. Anything we need help with, she is willing to do.
Jackie Moore continued She makes copies, laminates, and cuts out materials. Not only that, but she laminates for our entire school.
Even with all the assistance she gives in Oak Ridge, she also fills in for the lunchroom monitors in Hawthorn. On the days she fills in, she will still manage to find a short time to come to Oak Ridge and assist us with making copies or laminating. As you can see, she goes way beyond what anyone would ever expect out of a volunteer.
Even with all that she does for us, she will show up at our classroom doors with a special little gift or treat. How amazing to be thinking of us when she is doing so much for all of us!!
Without her, we would be spending many more hours beyond what we already do. We are so thankful that she is willing to give of her time and talents to our school.
Submitted by Diana Riley and Christina Calvert Oak Ridge Intermediate 5th grade teachers
Ingrid Niemann My volunteer and I have been together for ten years. She comes in faithfully every Wednesday to work with my children. As a retired kindergarten teacher, she has always known what I need and how to best help me help my children succeed.
Our year together begins on Meet the Teacher Night. She comes in to help greet the children and help them learn where to put their supplies. She sorts and organizes all of the shared “community” supplies the children bring in. Her work continues during the first couple of days of school. While I am
busy getting our year started with the children, making introductions, easing their fears, establishing routines, my volunteer continues to sort incoming supplies, sort and alphabetize the numerous information sheets parents are required to fill out and return, and helps little ones find the bathroom. She is also ready and willing to begin our pre-assessments.
Each Wednesday she comes in, smiling and ready to work. She tirelessly sits with individual children to assess where each child is academically at the
beginning of the year. She does individual assessments of letter/sound recognition, rote counting, and number recognition. She also works with individual
children or small groups to help them get caught up on work missed due to absences or she is wonderful to help with interventions, providing an extra dose of help to children who may be struggling. Because of her many years of experience in the classroom, she is also very astute in assessing situations early that I may initially miss, not having the luxury to work one-on-one with children as much as I would like. She provides insight to situations regarding student abilities and provides possible alternate solutions/ interventions to best help the children.
Because she is very aware of time constraints and continuing pressures on teachers to make sure all curricular goals are met, my volunteer delights in doing the fun “fluffy” stuff that all too frequently gets pushed out of my lesson plans. She’s a great believer in allowing children to explore their creative side, and believes that children need to paint!! Each month she has a different project for the children to create. From “Five Little Pumpkins” and snowmen created to follow Lois Ehlert’s classic “Snowballs” story, Thanksgiving hand turkeys and hand print Christmas cards to Valentines, Easter bunnies, spring flowers and water color Mother’s Day cards, she has the children loving getting involved in her projects.
She is also a big part of our classroom social studies curriculum. She and her husband are fortunate enough to be able to travel to all parts of the United States and around the world. She is always so wonderful about sending us postcards to let us know where she is and how she is doing. The children always look forward to receiving her cards so that we
can get out the globe and pull down the map and keep track of where she is. Through the years, the children and I have learned about many fascinating places, customs and people.
I will retire at the end of this school year, and will miss so many different things about my many years
Ingrid Niemann continued in education, but I know that my friendship with my volunteer will continue, and she is one person I won’t have to miss.
She has been such a wonderful asset, help and role model to me these many years, and I will miss our classroom collaboration, but should she continue to volunteer in another classroom, the receiving teacher will be working with a true gem.
Submitted by Kim Pool Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Kathy Peery My volunteer has become better
than my right hand. She is always so conscientious! She works so hard to make sure everything is just
perfect…even when I forget to give her an important detail. She
always comes back to make sure that she is doing exactly what I need done. Besides making sure that I have given her everything that needs to be done, she is always ready to laugh and help me get past whatever “moment” is happening. Her sense of humor and concern about my wellbeing goes far beyond just helping me out. I always look forward to her stories and perspective on life.
She always worries about accomplishing what I have set up for her and regardless of how many times I tell her that she is not supposed to take the work home, she still does it! She just doesn’t tell me and the next day she will pop in with the last load. Very few jobs would pay for her work ethic, but she does it for free! Every week! If her family is sick, she makes it up another day. I am truly blessed to have my volunteer!
Submitted by Marcia Hutchinson Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Erin Chindlund Price My volunteer is a beautiful young woman who I met during the 2010-2011 school year. I had recently lost my previous volunteer and had put in a request for a new one. When our Volunteer Coordinator called she told me she had someone who knew me that would like to help me in Art. She gave me a name I did not recognize. I was anxious to meet her and find out how she knew me. I was very pleasantly surprised to see
my volunteer when she showed up for the first day. She turned out to be one of my former players on the high school tennis team! It was so wonderful to see her and get caught up on the last 15 years. She is now married and has three beautiful daughters in the district. Every Tuesday she comes to my art room and helps me hang student artwork
and works one-on-one with students who are behind on their projects. She jumps right in and explains what to do and how to get started while I continue to assist students with the second part of their projects. She also completes many time-consuming jobs for me such as filling glue bottles, cleaning and refilling paint trays, hanging and taking down student art, mounting and tagging student work in preparation for exhibitions and shows, making sample projects, or simply, cleaning out my supply closet.
My volunteer is not only efficient and fast, she is able to see what needs to be done without my direction, she is energetic, soft spoken, and sincerely enjoys working with students.
Without my volunteer I would not have the time to display 650 pieces of student art and would spend many more evenings and weekends at school trying to accomplish these tasks. We both feel it is important for students to see their artwork on display. They learn to appreciate art and see how other students approached the projects.
My volunteer recently discovered she had breast cancer and underwent surgery the first of March. She managed to come in and help me right up to the last day. She is doing well and expects to be back to help with upcoming art shows.
What a gift it is for me to have one of my former tennis players as a volunteer and to be able to see what a responsible, caring, and loving parent she has become. I appreciate my volunteer as a friend as well as a person who gives my students and me her precious time.
Submitted by Mary Kay Roofener Oak Ridge Intermediate art teacher
Jeni Simpson I have had many volunteers over the years that have
helped me out tremendously and have been an asset to my teaching. However, this year my volunteer has gone above and beyond and deserves to be the 2012 Volunteer of the
Year.
My volunteer keeps in constant contact with me and is always willing to come in as many times a week to make sure we, as teachers, are taken care of. The fact that she is just not devoted to just one day a week, but all five days, shows a true commitment to education and my classroom.
She currently is volunteering for my class and another teacher’s classroom. However, if any of the teachers need something copied, laminated, cut, etc… she will do theirs as well. Time is not an issue with her; she is truly devoted to her job, the teachers, the students, and education.
Lastly, I have had the privilege of having her two years in a row. Words can’t express how lucky we are to have her in our District. I am so thankful that she is with our school district. We truly have a gem that makes our school run so smoothly. I will miss her for sure next year, but hope that she will stick with us.
Submitted by Eric Cook Oak Ridge Intermediate 5th grade teacher
Jeni Simpson I would like to recommend my volunteer for Volunteer of the Year! She has worked with me for two years. She is wonderful to be around and I love having her work with the kids. She is kind and patient with them. She wants them to do their best and always encourages
them. They can’t wait to work with her and always have stories to share with her. She is always on the internet looking for great ideas for our class. She also brings in some amazing treats and fun surprises. She makes
copies for me, gets classroom projects and activities ready, cuts lamination and many other things. She saves me countless hours of work. If she isn’t able to
come in, she comes another day or takes things home. She never lets me down. She is dependable and always goes above and beyond. I cannot even imagine how many hours she has dedicated to this school and the District. I feel so lucky to have gotten to know her and I am proud to be her friend. She truly deserves this award!
Submitted by Karen DenHartog Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Ronda Stehle My volunteer has played such a big part in my life over the last several years. I realize just how much she
does for me each Friday when I reflect on my week and begin planning for the upcoming week. There are no words to describe how much she helps me.
She is a person I can always count on. It is very rare for me to not see her every day or two. She is always checking on me to see if there is anything she can do to make my job easier.
She is so very trustworthy that I have come to strongly depend upon her and her expertise. She is very willing to learn and does an excellent job at any task that I put in front of her.
As my role changed a couple of years ago, so did hers. I am so blessed that she made the change with me. She helps me stay organized and focused. She helps me prepare for meetings, staff celebrations, and conferences. She helps decorate the room, set up refreshments, and copy necessary paperwork. After- ward, she helps clean up, reassemble the room to what it was before our meeting, copy any necessary follow up paperwork, and file all of my handouts from the meetings.
She always seems to know what to do even before I ask her. She is a reliable, hard worker with a great attitude. She has recently started helping other teachers in my area. She is the first to ask if she can help and jump right into the task at hand. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
Submitted by Lucinda Varner Dogwood Elementary Instructional Coach
Ed and Nancy Wedig How wonderful would it be to know that once a week you would have the undivided attention of two
wonderful “Grandparents”? My classroom has that privilege every week. Each child signs up to work on
counting money or reading to or listening to a story. Well, you know they don’t just sign up for one…they always have to sign up for both!
This wonderful couple show what working together really means. Their quiet demeanor and acceptance of every child is what so many of these kids need. The kids always bound away from spending their time counting money, or listening to a wonderful story, or practicing reading their book. Each child is welcomed to their corner with a smile and wonderful conversation that lets them know they are cared about. They are always concerned and excited about every student. Every child is special to them.
Submitted by Marcia Hutchinson Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Ronda Wilkening 2, 4, 6, 8, Who do we appreciate? Our F-A-M-O-U-S volunteer Because she is sooo great!
What makes her so special? What makes her so great? Open your ears to listen, And you’ll hear her every trait.
She organizes the paperwork, She copies day and night, And her one and only perk Is knowing she did it right.
She’s an ace in the hole, She’s dependable and tidy, Doing all that we ask of her Makes her feel quite mighty.
She’s a movin’ machine On legs that never stop She keeps going and going And doesn’t ever drop.
She has a sense of humor And makes us laugh each day “Wait a minute, I need another copy” Is her simple, little pay.
As she leaves with a sigh A day well done Now is the time To have her own little fun.
Submitted by Shelley Atkins, Beverly Eichholz, and Jaclyn Johnson
Hawthorn Elementary 4th grade teachers
Thanks for improving our world in your most exceptional way.
Camdenton R-III School District Volunteers
Exceptional People
Extraordinary Hearts
Dogwood Elementary
Jonna Kenniston written by Kindergarten Teacher Katy Cunningham
Diane Knoll written by 2nd Grade Teacher Kelly Mooney
Mag Leahy written by Kindergarten Teacher Kim Palomo
Jori LeMay written by Kindergarten Teacher Jackie Job
Jori LeMay written by 1st Grade Teacher Laura Stewart
Carol Lynch written by 1st Grade Teacher Vicki Luber
Earline Medcalf written by Kindergarten Teacher Amber Keeney
Ingrid Niemann written by Kindergarten Teacher Kim Pool
Kathy Peery written by First Grade Teacher Marcia Hutchinson
Jeni Simpson written by Kindergarten Teacher Karen DenHartog
Ronda Stehle written by Instructional Coach Lucinda Varner
Ed & Nancy Wedig written by First Grade Teacher Marcia Hutchinson
Hawthorn Elementary
Jodi Hanner written by 3rd Grade Teachers Desta Franklin, Tami Moulder, and Literacy Coach Cindy James
Jonna Kenniston written by 3rd Grade Teachers Barb Anderson, Jamie Hedrick, and Allison Jolly
Rhonda Wilkening written by 3rd Grade Teachers Shelley Atkins, Beverly Eichholz, and Jaclyn Johnson
Oak Ridge Intermediate
Michele Brother written by 6th Grade Teachers Lynette Franklin and Lolly Whittle
Erin Price written by Art Teacher Mary Kay Roofener
Jackie Moore written by 5th Grade Teachers Christina Calvert and Diana Riley
Jeni Simpson written by 5th Grade Teacher Eric Cook
Camdenton High School
Patti Lear written by Speech and Drama Teacher JoBeth Nicklas
2011-2012 Volunteer of the Year Submissions
Amber Akers This school year began with many new changes to the structure of Dogwood Elementary. We all moved into new hallways that became ‘communities’ within each hall. Keep in mind I had been in the same room since I came to Dogwood 16 years ago! I was feeling VERY overwhelmed with a new classroom, a new storage
area (less storage ) and a new group of colleagues. I was having trouble finding materials and activities and then was running out of time to complete the necessary prep work for my lessons/activities. Once again my outstanding volunteer program was able to provide an answer to my prayers! My volunteer has been a lifesaver. She makes a good day great and a bad day better. I look forward to her smile each week. No matter the task at hand, she is always willing and able to complete her basket of work. Many times there is copying to do, activities to cut, hot glue to dispense, and things to put together. She is always up to the challenge. Without her, I would not be able to make learning in my classroom exciting and challenging. I would also be spending countless hours after school or on the weekends to complete the prep work.
Due to the nature of my schedule, I’m sometimes not as prepared as I should be when my volunteer arrives. She arrives each week with a smile on her face and enthusiasm that is contagious! She is always patient with me and waits for me to finish compiling her “basket”. I appreciate her time and patience with me!
Submitted by Reneé Dyer Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Michelle Brothers Once in a while a person comes along that you know is going to be just what you need at just the right time. Our volunteer is that person. It has been so wonderful to have someone who is always dependable, competent, and willing to help out in any way. No matter what we ask of her, how much we ask her to do, how sketchy the directions are, or how unprepared we are for her visit, she is always smiling, willing to wait for us to gather materials, and happy to do
whatever we ask. Many times she is coming straight from the hospital, right off her shift, still in her scrubs. She never misses, lets us know ahead of time if there’s a schedule change, never, ever interrupts our classes, but just waits patiently until we are finished with whatever we are doing. Our volunteer takes the initiative to organize things for us, so that it will be easier the next time, or next year. One of the most wonderful things about her help is that everything is always done correctly. The way we ask for it is the way we get it. There are no surprises when we go to use the materials she has prepared. We truly don’t know what we’d do without her. Thank you, many times over! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Submitted by Lolly Whittle and Lynette Franklin Oak Ridge Intermediate 6th grade teachers
Lynn Crawford As my school year began my
eager 1st graders arrived ready to embark on the new year together; we settled into our routine of learning how to read. Each child takes a book home to read each night to practice
his/her reading skills. I quickly discovered a couple of kids were not completing their reading each night. I asked if there was a volunteer who would be willing to come in to read with these kids. That’s when I was introduced to my volunteer. She arrives each and every Tuesday morning, faithfully. During this time, she listens to several kids read so that they can maintain their reading skills and she works with kids who are struggling with other skills. These skills may include reading, writing or math. She is always ready for the challenges that lay in front of her. She brings her own notebook to take notes on how the kids are doing from week to week. She shares her observations of the children she is assisting at the appropriate times so not to interrupt instruction. She is encouraging and cheerful with the kids she is working with by giving them positive feedback and re-teaching the skills they are missing.
One particular student rarely reads at home and my volunteer fills out his reading log so he can earn his rewards. Without her, this student would not be making progress in his reading skills and reading levels. When her schedule allows, she drops by to spend a few minutes reading with this particular
Lynn Crawford continued: student. This is above and beyond her volunteer duties! I feel without her this child would not be maintaining his reading skills.
If my volunteer did not volunteer each week I would have to find the time within our packed schedule to re-teach individual students. Her dependability has freed my re-teaching time considerably this school year. She has given that little boost to those who need someone to “watch” them complete their work and to help them when they were struggling. Her time is priceless and invaluable to me and to my students.
Submitted by Reneé Dyer Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Kelly Diehl My Volunteer - Helper In All Areas!
My volunteer is definitely Volunteer of the Year, in my book! She works nonstop for me and several other teachers in several buildings! You never know what building you will find her in! If she isn’t volunteering
for a teacher, she is often working on PTO projects for our district!
She stops by my room almost every day to check on me! Often she brings me a treat! Having her help me is “treat” enough for me!
No task is too much for my volunteer! She will do whatever you ask and often does it in a better way then what you ask! She always knows what I’m thinking and jumps on every project!
She is a wonderful person to be around and to have in your classroom working with the kids! She makes them feel loved and praises their efforts. She pushes them to do their best.
As you can see, she does much more than volunteers, she takes care of my students and me! She is the “happy spot” in most of our days!!
Submitted by Stefanie Wirths Dogwood Elementary 2nd grade teacher
Linda Frymyer Often I find myself thinking, “What would I do without Ms. L.?” She is such a valuable asset to our classroom and students’ learning! Ms. L started volunteering in my classroom last year and I’m SO thankful she did!!!
Ms. L. does a wide variety of things to help us! She helps me prepare for lessons by making copies, cutting shapes out of paper, cutting lamination, gluing pages in our poetry books, and much more. She has sharpened hundreds and hundreds of pencils for the kids so they don’t have to spend valuable learning time waiting in line for the pencil sharpener. She helps me with organization by filing papers and she didn’t even complain when I gave her yet another large stack of papers to file after she had already spent hours on this task. The students are always so excited to see her! She is a part of our classroom family! Ms. L. always has such a positive outlook and a smile to greet us with when she comes!
Dedicated is an excellent word to describe my volunteer. When it is time to leave, if she still has things on her “to do list,” she will often take them home with her. She also came in over the summer to help me get my classroom ready. Ms. L. was working hard on cutting some papers for me and she accidentally deeply cut her finger on the paper cutter and had to go to the doctor. (She probably wouldn’t want me to tell you about this!) After this accident happened, she still took the time to bring her finished jobs back to the classroom and was concerned about the items that weren’t completed. Then she came in the next day to finish. This is true dedication! She will do whatever it takes to get the job done!
Diligence is another word that describes Ms. L. She always wants to do things just the way I want them. She does not just rush through a job to get it done. Instead, she works very thoroughly to get them done right!
Consistency is another adjective that describes my volunteer. Whenever I request a volunteer, I ask for someone who will come consistently every week. They matched the request excellently because my volunteer does! I really appreciate this quality in her because it helps me when planning out the week.
Linda Frymyer continued: Not only does Ms. L. volunteer for our class, she also volunteers in the library a different day of the week and then stops by my room to see if I have anything for her to work on. She also volunteers for a variety of other activities. She loves to help others, which shows through the amount of time she volunteers at our school and also outside of school!
These are just a few of the numerous things my volunteer does for us. She has truly been invaluable! She is VERY worthy of the “Volunteer of the Year” award to recognize all that she does!!!
Submitted by Cindy Clift Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Jody Hanner What would you like to do when you
retire? Play golf, travel, or watch TV? Well, our volunteer loves all those activities but she also loves working with kids. So, every Tuesday and Thursday she comes in and works with students that need extra help or some special attention.
How wonderful it is to see her smiling face two days a week knowing that our students are in good hands when they need assistance. Our teachers also love the fact that she is a retired teacher so they don’t have to write out directions; they just send the student with their assignment and she knows exactly what to do!
We are very blessed to have such a gracious and dedicated volunteer and friend. We feel she deserves to be named the Volunteer of the Year.
Submitted by Cindy James, Desta Franklin, and Tami Moulder Hawthorn Elementary Literacy Coach and 3rd grade teachers
Jonna Kenniston I have had the privilege of working with the same volunteer since 2003. I never even have to turn in the request form for her each year, she just says “I’ll be your volunteer next year” when the current year is over! I am so lucky to have her. She also volunteers for two other teachers in my grade. She has been a
volunteer for one of them for three years and the other teacher for five years.
Our volunteer is more of a “behind the scenes” volunteer. She does not help in my classroom but she does jobs that make my classroom run more smoothly. She shows up every Wednesday without fail ready to do whatever task needs to be done. Most weeks it is running off papers - lots of time spent standing in front of the copy machine! She has gladly sharpened hundreds of pencils, set up bulletin board displays, and torn many math workbook pages out for us. We no longer do swish, but when we did she was helpful in getting it ready for the kids.
This year the 3rd and 4th grade teachers attended a math workshop which had a great idea for teaching place value. The 4th grade teachers had a volunteer make these place value activities for them. Third grade wanted the same activity so we asked our volunteer to make them for all ten of us. Unfortunately, we
weren’t exactly sure how the place value activities were put together. Our volunteer took on the challenge! It took her three weeks, but like always, the job got done! We were so thankful that she didn’t quit on us but worked until the job was finished. She is a lifesaver!
Our volunteer sorts and organizes materials, makes and binds books, prepares many manipulative activities for better student understanding, and will even copy work for all the teachers in our grade level if the need arises.
Our volunteer has been with us for many years and knows exactly how we like things done. She takes pride in every job we ask her to do and makes our jobs a little less hectic. She is always friendly, is quick with a smile, and very professional. We couldn’t do our jobs as effectively without her help. She definitely deserves the title “Volunteer of the Year!”
Submitted by Barb Anderson, Allison Jolly, and Jamie Hedrick Hawthorn Elementary 3rd grade teachers
Jonna Kenniston I don’t know where to begin when it comes to my wonderful, dedicated volunteer! She has been with me for many years now, and I have come to know her very well.
She is here for me pretty much every day. She always comes down to check on me and see if there is anything I need her to do. She is here long hours, and then, often takes my projects home to finish if she runs out of time. She is willing to do whatever I need done, and more! The work she does is always done in a timely manner. I am always surprised how fast she gets it all finished! Not only does she get it done, but she is very organized and thoughtful about how she gets it back to me.
My volunteer does so many jobs for me; I can’t even list them all! She copies, die cuts, takes pictures, decorates my hallway space, works with some of my students, organizes my memory books, and so much more! She also volunteers in Hawthorn and still manages to get my work done too. She is a gem!
I sing her praises! What a great volunteer as well as friend. Over the years, I have gotten to know her and have seen the super person she is and all that she takes on. She is also our lunchroom monitor, which only puts more pressure on her busy day! She is very dedicated and I feel very fortunate to have had her for so long now. I only hope she sticks with me for many more years to come. My school life would not be the same if I didn’t get to see her each day because she makes me laugh, when sometimes it’s hard to do so.
I hope this expresses how valuable my volunteer is to me and how happy I am to have been blessed with such a great helper and friend!
Submitted by Katy Cunningham Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Diane Knoll My volunteer is a very special person. She is dependable, efficient, and helpful. She is always willing to do whatever I need her to do! She is also dedicated to my students because she does everything for them!
She comes every Tuesday to help me be ready for the next week. She is cheerful, funny, and always makes me smile. We always check with each other about our family news and health. My volunteer is so dedicated to helping us that even when she was facing some serious medical issues, she would not stop volunteering; but for a few weeks. She is strong, hopeful, thoughtful, and determined to be helpful and dependable to my students.
She begins helping me before school even starts with all the projects to get my classroom ready. She comes every week during the year and helps me wind down the year as consistent and dependable as I could ever hope to have a volunteer be.
My volunteer is my friend and my lifesaver. She sometimes knows what I want or need before I do. She truly cares for and about my students and myself, as we care about her too. My class is excited and happy to see her each week as well!
My volunteer helps out around our building with other projects as well. She is so caring and concerned about how she can help students and teachers all the time.
I hope this helps you know how special and valued my volunteer is to my students, our school, and me!
Submitted by Kelly Mooney Dogwood Elementary 2nd grade teacher
Mag Leahy A great thing happened to me five years ago - I met my perfectly amazing, reliable, devoted, loving, patient and caring volunteer. It is very hard for me to refer to her as a volunteer because I consider her a team member and a friend.
At the beginning of each year she brings in school supplies that she has purchased in case I have students that can’t afford them. I also have something called “The Giving Tree” which are items that I ask parents to donate that are
Mag Leahy continued: related to special projects through the year (for example, candy to decorate gingerbread houses, cereal to graph, etc.) The items that parents don’t pick off of “The Giving Tree” are always picked up by my volunteer.
My volunteer started out working with my students every other week for two hours and for the last four years she comes every week and works with my students for almost four hours. She greets each student by name with a smile and a helping hand. She helps my students get ready for the day and talks to them about their morning. Each morning that she comes to our classroom she comes down the hall and enters our room with a big smile and a blue bag filled with her “supplies.” If we are working with coins, she brings her own coins to work with the students; she brings her own notepad to take notes on each child’s progress, so that I know how they did.
Submitted by Kim Palomo Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Patti Lear My volunteer came to me about
half way through the year after hearing that I was struggling keeping up with things due to my mother’s broken back and my own major surgery leave of absence. She asked if she could come in and help me out
in any way she could, which is exactly what came to pass.
During her short time so far as a volunteer, she has gone from coming in one day a week to, sometimes five days a week depending on how much work there is to be done. She has done a variety of different tasks such as setting up and keeping track of spreadsheets, compiling event programs, sorting and doing school laundry, and organizing all sorts of things that I don’t even begin to know how to organize. She is detail oriented and meticulous about all of the tasks she takes on. She sees what needs to be done and how my classroom works and has to ability to just “know” what
needs to be done without me making suggestions. She is already talking about “next year” and how she thinks she can make things run more efficiently. She does this all with a smile on her face and an open heart.
Without her, this year might have not have been the best for me, my students, or the activity I sponsor. I owe her a debt of gratitude that cannot be expressed through this or any words. With her help, my classes, and my extra-curricular activity reached heights we haven’t reached before. Without her, I cannot imagine how we could have undertaken such a massive project is such a successful fashion.
I would love to see her as “Volunteer of the Year” for all of the reasons listed above.
Submitted by JoBeth Nicklas High School speech and drama teacher
Jori LeMay I don’t think I can express in words how grateful I am to have my amazing volunteer! Over the past few years my volunteer and I have formed a wonderful relationship. Each year, the students in my class also have the opportunity to form a relationship with her. We are so lucky! I feel like she knows me so well and understands my needs and the needs of my students. She does all she can to take care of us in many ways!
My volunteer has a family of her own and I know there are many other things she could be doing for herself or her family during the long hours she puts in serving us here at school. She comes in with a smile every week, ready to do whatever I lay in front of her! She even helps me at the last minute if I’m in a pinch! She has spent many hours running copies, making die cuts, etc., even when it wasn’t her scheduled day to volunteer. I don’t know what I would do without her!
My volunteer does a variety of jobs for me. She works with my little kiddos, helping them and supporting them, just giving them that little extra push to get over that hump, by practicing counting, writing, recognizing their ABC’s and making their sounds, recognizing coins and their value. My students grin
Jori LeMay continued from ear to ear when I call their name to go work with my volunteer. She builds their self-esteem and makes them feel special.
She makes copy after copy, sharpens hundreds of pencils, and cuts tiny pieces of yarn, copies, cuts out and staples tiny booklets. Hangs things and takes things down in the hallway, colors games for
literacy centers… the list goes on and on. Her time spent doing these things for my class allows me to spend time with my dear family, rather than late nights and weekends at the school preparing materials for my class. For this I am truly thankful, more than she could know! Not only does my volunteer help my students and myself, but she also helps other teachers in the building. She steps up anytime our school needs help or manpower to get a job done.
Every volunteer gives a very special gift to those they serve. My volunteer has given my class, our school, and myself, her time, her smile, and lots of love. And for this we thank her from the bottom of our hearts!
Submitted by Jackie Job Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Jori LeMay Wow! I cannot believe the end of another school year is just around the corner. I have had another
wonderful year with my volunteer. She has been such a helping hand and great friend throughout the school year. There are many
reasons why I believe she should be “Volunteer of the Year”.
My volunteer is very hard working and helpful. Before the school year even began, she came into school for the day to help get my classroom ready. She helped with decorations, putting labels on books and around the room and getting folders ready. By the end of the day, my classroom looked picture perfect for the school year! She also volunteers for several other teachers and around the school throughout the week. That shows me that she is truly dedicated to volunteering at Dogwood Elementary and enjoys her time helping others.
My volunteer is also reliable. She volunteers for me once a week, and I know every week she will complete my work on time. I also know that if I have any other work I need done through- out the week, it will be completed with no problems. Even if I do not ask, she will pop in and out of my classroom throughout the week and see if there is anything I need completed. Having a reliable volunteer is very important to me, so I consider myself very lucky!
Lastly, my volunteer is very kind and a wonderful friend. I feel that she is someone at school I can always count on. She has always been there to listen to my stories, answer my questions, and give me helpful advice. She always asks how I am doing and will stop by my classroom to catch up. I feel we have a great connection and work very well together. She has volunteered for me for two years now and I hope she will continue to do so for many more years.
You should pick my volunteer for “Volunteer of the Year” because of all these great qualities! She truly loves dedicating her time as a volunteer and is always willing to go above and beyond. I cannot wait to share many more memories together with her! Thank you my volunteer for all you do!
Submitted by Laura Stewart Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Carol Lynch My lovely lady is truly a volunteer that deserves recognition.. and here are just a “wordful” of reasons why.
olunteers with a smile.
pportunities are afforded to me to dedicate my time and energy to student instruction because I never have to run papers, laminate, or do the tedious tasks of teaching. My volunteer does them for me.
ove her consistency! You can count on her to be there when she says. Even when duty calls (for being a grandma) she always let’s us know and comes in another day to help out.
Carol Lynch continued ltimate motivator! Each week when my volunteer enters my room she brings her smile and willingness to work! It is contagious.
ever say NEVER! Her attitude is at your disposal. She works for two teachers here at Dogwood and she never complains about the workload in her basket. She never leaves with stuff undone either. She either stays longer or takes it home to complete.
otally dedicated! She has been a volunteer since 1995! And she keeps on giving of her time, talents, and positive attitude!
fficient! You can count on her to complete your tasks on time and correctly.
xceptional! She can even read my notes. In all my “business” my volunteer is able to read my chicken scratch on the post its and know pretty much what I want her to do. We joke that she is lucky that her other teacher is more particular; but she has learned to read my style well and it works for us!!
eady to undertake any task! Even my filing folders that topple over with papers that never fully got filed without her! She’s amazing.
I love my volunteer because she works with me to complete me!
Submitted by Vicki Luber Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Earline Medcalf Volunteer or Friend?
It almost feels like a disservice to call my friend my volunteer. However, she is exactly that…. my kindergarten volunteer and my friend. In both regards, she is the best there is!
My friend goes out of her way in every aspect of volunteering. She comes two full days every single week. She does it all; works with students, makes copies, changes out bulletin boards (her favorite), gives assessments, and works on special projects for our classroom. Many times, she has taken things home to work on in between her days at school.
My friend truly cares about the well- being of our students. She keeps a list of their names at home. When she learns something new about one of them, she writes it down when she gets home. She studies this sheet to truly learn all about the
kids. She knows what they like, dislike, their hobbies, etc. She uses this knowledge as a tool to build a trusting relationship each kiddo so they respond well while working with her.
Every holiday, my volunteer makes special treats and activities for the students. For Valentine’s Day she made each student a personalized card on her computer and printed them herself. She does this for every holiday. The students absolutely love her and look up to her. They always tell her how pretty she looks, that she smells good and how they love her clothes.
One day, we did a writing lesson on friendship. For an example of this lesson we wrote a writing piece about our volunteer. Here is what the kids wrote about her as a whole class:
This is Mrs. _______. She is kind. She has a cute hairstyle. She is nice to people. She has cute boots. She is pretty. She helps us. She takes care of us.
I feel exactly the same way as the kids do in my kindergarten class. If there ever was a person deserving of volunteer/friend of the year, it is my very good friend, my volunteer. Please consider her for this award; she really shines!
Submitted by Amber Keeney Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Jackie Moore Our volunteer greets us on Wednesday mornings with a huge smile and energy to match. She takes the time to inquire how we are doing and genuinely seems interested. We definitely enjoy when she has something to share about the world around us.
This is our first year for having her as a volunteer for our classrooms. She is always punctual and communicates with us if she is unable to come. Anything we need help with, she is willing to do.
Jackie Moore continued She makes copies, laminates, and cuts out materials. Not only that, but she laminates for our entire school.
Even with all the assistance she gives in Oak Ridge, she also fills in for the lunchroom monitors in Hawthorn. On the days she fills in, she will still manage to find a short time to come to Oak Ridge and assist us with making copies or laminating. As you can see, she goes way beyond what anyone would ever expect out of a volunteer.
Even with all that she does for us, she will show up at our classroom doors with a special little gift or treat. How amazing to be thinking of us when she is doing so much for all of us!!
Without her, we would be spending many more hours beyond what we already do. We are so thankful that she is willing to give of her time and talents to our school.
Submitted by Diana Riley and Christina Calvert Oak Ridge Intermediate 5th grade teachers
Ingrid Niemann My volunteer and I have been together for ten years. She comes in faithfully every Wednesday to work with my children. As a retired kindergarten teacher, she has always known what I need and how to best help me help my children succeed.
Our year together begins on Meet the Teacher Night. She comes in to help greet the children and help them learn where to put their supplies. She sorts and organizes all of the shared “community” supplies the children bring in. Her work continues during the first couple of days of school. While I am
busy getting our year started with the children, making introductions, easing their fears, establishing routines, my volunteer continues to sort incoming supplies, sort and alphabetize the numerous information sheets parents are required to fill out and return, and helps little ones find the bathroom. She is also ready and willing to begin our pre-assessments.
Each Wednesday she comes in, smiling and ready to work. She tirelessly sits with individual children to assess where each child is academically at the
beginning of the year. She does individual assessments of letter/sound recognition, rote counting, and number recognition. She also works with individual
children or small groups to help them get caught up on work missed due to absences or she is wonderful to help with interventions, providing an extra dose of help to children who may be struggling. Because of her many years of experience in the classroom, she is also very astute in assessing situations early that I may initially miss, not having the luxury to work one-on-one with children as much as I would like. She provides insight to situations regarding student abilities and provides possible alternate solutions/ interventions to best help the children.
Because she is very aware of time constraints and continuing pressures on teachers to make sure all curricular goals are met, my volunteer delights in doing the fun “fluffy” stuff that all too frequently gets pushed out of my lesson plans. She’s a great believer in allowing children to explore their creative side, and believes that children need to paint!! Each month she has a different project for the children to create. From “Five Little Pumpkins” and snowmen created to follow Lois Ehlert’s classic “Snowballs” story, Thanksgiving hand turkeys and hand print Christmas cards to Valentines, Easter bunnies, spring flowers and water color Mother’s Day cards, she has the children loving getting involved in her projects.
She is also a big part of our classroom social studies curriculum. She and her husband are fortunate enough to be able to travel to all parts of the United States and around the world. She is always so wonderful about sending us postcards to let us know where she is and how she is doing. The children always look forward to receiving her cards so that we
can get out the globe and pull down the map and keep track of where she is. Through the years, the children and I have learned about many fascinating places, customs and people.
I will retire at the end of this school year, and will miss so many different things about my many years
Ingrid Niemann continued in education, but I know that my friendship with my volunteer will continue, and she is one person I won’t have to miss.
She has been such a wonderful asset, help and role model to me these many years, and I will miss our classroom collaboration, but should she continue to volunteer in another classroom, the receiving teacher will be working with a true gem.
Submitted by Kim Pool Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Kathy Peery My volunteer has become better
than my right hand. She is always so conscientious! She works so hard to make sure everything is just
perfect…even when I forget to give her an important detail. She
always comes back to make sure that she is doing exactly what I need done. Besides making sure that I have given her everything that needs to be done, she is always ready to laugh and help me get past whatever “moment” is happening. Her sense of humor and concern about my wellbeing goes far beyond just helping me out. I always look forward to her stories and perspective on life.
She always worries about accomplishing what I have set up for her and regardless of how many times I tell her that she is not supposed to take the work home, she still does it! She just doesn’t tell me and the next day she will pop in with the last load. Very few jobs would pay for her work ethic, but she does it for free! Every week! If her family is sick, she makes it up another day. I am truly blessed to have my volunteer!
Submitted by Marcia Hutchinson Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Erin Chindlund Price My volunteer is a beautiful young woman who I met during the 2010-2011 school year. I had recently lost my previous volunteer and had put in a request for a new one. When our Volunteer Coordinator called she told me she had someone who knew me that would like to help me in Art. She gave me a name I did not recognize. I was anxious to meet her and find out how she knew me. I was very pleasantly surprised to see
my volunteer when she showed up for the first day. She turned out to be one of my former players on the high school tennis team! It was so wonderful to see her and get caught up on the last 15 years. She is now married and has three beautiful daughters in the district. Every Tuesday she comes to my art room and helps me hang student artwork
and works one-on-one with students who are behind on their projects. She jumps right in and explains what to do and how to get started while I continue to assist students with the second part of their projects. She also completes many time-consuming jobs for me such as filling glue bottles, cleaning and refilling paint trays, hanging and taking down student art, mounting and tagging student work in preparation for exhibitions and shows, making sample projects, or simply, cleaning out my supply closet.
My volunteer is not only efficient and fast, she is able to see what needs to be done without my direction, she is energetic, soft spoken, and sincerely enjoys working with students.
Without my volunteer I would not have the time to display 650 pieces of student art and would spend many more evenings and weekends at school trying to accomplish these tasks. We both feel it is important for students to see their artwork on display. They learn to appreciate art and see how other students approached the projects.
My volunteer recently discovered she had breast cancer and underwent surgery the first of March. She managed to come in and help me right up to the last day. She is doing well and expects to be back to help with upcoming art shows.
What a gift it is for me to have one of my former tennis players as a volunteer and to be able to see what a responsible, caring, and loving parent she has become. I appreciate my volunteer as a friend as well as a person who gives my students and me her precious time.
Submitted by Mary Kay Roofener Oak Ridge Intermediate art teacher
Jeni Simpson I have had many volunteers over the years that have
helped me out tremendously and have been an asset to my teaching. However, this year my volunteer has gone above and beyond and deserves to be the 2012 Volunteer of the
Year.
My volunteer keeps in constant contact with me and is always willing to come in as many times a week to make sure we, as teachers, are taken care of. The fact that she is just not devoted to just one day a week, but all five days, shows a true commitment to education and my classroom.
She currently is volunteering for my class and another teacher’s classroom. However, if any of the teachers need something copied, laminated, cut, etc… she will do theirs as well. Time is not an issue with her; she is truly devoted to her job, the teachers, the students, and education.
Lastly, I have had the privilege of having her two years in a row. Words can’t express how lucky we are to have her in our District. I am so thankful that she is with our school district. We truly have a gem that makes our school run so smoothly. I will miss her for sure next year, but hope that she will stick with us.
Submitted by Eric Cook Oak Ridge Intermediate 5th grade teacher
Jeni Simpson I would like to recommend my volunteer for Volunteer of the Year! She has worked with me for two years. She is wonderful to be around and I love having her work with the kids. She is kind and patient with them. She wants them to do their best and always encourages
them. They can’t wait to work with her and always have stories to share with her. She is always on the internet looking for great ideas for our class. She also brings in some amazing treats and fun surprises. She makes
copies for me, gets classroom projects and activities ready, cuts lamination and many other things. She saves me countless hours of work. If she isn’t able to
come in, she comes another day or takes things home. She never lets me down. She is dependable and always goes above and beyond. I cannot even imagine how many hours she has dedicated to this school and the District. I feel so lucky to have gotten to know her and I am proud to be her friend. She truly deserves this award!
Submitted by Karen DenHartog Dogwood Elementary kindergarten teacher
Ronda Stehle My volunteer has played such a big part in my life over the last several years. I realize just how much she
does for me each Friday when I reflect on my week and begin planning for the upcoming week. There are no words to describe how much she helps me.
She is a person I can always count on. It is very rare for me to not see her every day or two. She is always checking on me to see if there is anything she can do to make my job easier.
She is so very trustworthy that I have come to strongly depend upon her and her expertise. She is very willing to learn and does an excellent job at any task that I put in front of her.
As my role changed a couple of years ago, so did hers. I am so blessed that she made the change with me. She helps me stay organized and focused. She helps me prepare for meetings, staff celebrations, and conferences. She helps decorate the room, set up refreshments, and copy necessary paperwork. After- ward, she helps clean up, reassemble the room to what it was before our meeting, copy any necessary follow up paperwork, and file all of my handouts from the meetings.
She always seems to know what to do even before I ask her. She is a reliable, hard worker with a great attitude. She has recently started helping other teachers in my area. She is the first to ask if she can help and jump right into the task at hand. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
Submitted by Lucinda Varner Dogwood Elementary Instructional Coach
Ed and Nancy Wedig How wonderful would it be to know that once a week you would have the undivided attention of two
wonderful “Grandparents”? My classroom has that privilege every week. Each child signs up to work on
counting money or reading to or listening to a story. Well, you know they don’t just sign up for one…they always have to sign up for both!
This wonderful couple show what working together really means. Their quiet demeanor and acceptance of every child is what so many of these kids need. The kids always bound away from spending their time counting money, or listening to a wonderful story, or practicing reading their book. Each child is welcomed to their corner with a smile and wonderful conversation that lets them know they are cared about. They are always concerned and excited about every student. Every child is special to them.
Submitted by Marcia Hutchinson Dogwood Elementary 1st grade teacher
Ronda Wilkening 2, 4, 6, 8, Who do we appreciate? Our F-A-M-O-U-S volunteer Because she is sooo great!
What makes her so special? What makes her so great? Open your ears to listen, And you’ll hear her every trait.
She organizes the paperwork, She copies day and night, And her one and only perk Is knowing she did it right.
She’s an ace in the hole, She’s dependable and tidy, Doing all that we ask of her Makes her feel quite mighty.
She’s a movin’ machine On legs that never stop She keeps going and going And doesn’t ever drop.
She has a sense of humor And makes us laugh each day “Wait a minute, I need another copy” Is her simple, little pay.
As she leaves with a sigh A day well done Now is the time To have her own little fun.
Submitted by Shelley Atkins, Beverly Eichholz, and Jaclyn Johnson
Hawthorn Elementary 4th grade teachers