An experienced teacher, an innovative principal and a high-achieving intermediate school will be honored for their work Nov. 4 at the second annual Professional Educator Awards, presented by the Education Program at UW Tacoma.
The awards will be presented at a banquet at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in the Roof Garden Ballroom at the Landmark Convention Center. Tickets are $15 per person, and RSVPs are required by Oct. 28.
Awardees were nominated by their peers in the South Sound education community and selected by a committee of UWT Education Program faculty and staff.
The 2005 awards will honor:
1. Teacher of the Year: Linda Gorman
A special education teacher at Tacoma’s Boze Elementary, Gorman is known for her excellent classroom instruction, knowledge of special education law and procedures and mentoring skills.
A skilled teacher of reading, Gorman ensured that at the end of last year, all of the children in her special education primary classroom were reading. Colleagues say she takes advantage of all possible resources for each child and willingly accepts UWT student teachers while she reaches out to help other teachers at Boze work with struggling students.
2. Principal of the Year: Gaile McLaurin
McLaurin, principal of Giaudrone Middle School in Tacoma, sets high expectations for her staff and students and leads the way toward fulfilling those expectations.
Her focus on student achievement has led faculty to work together to help their students be successful. McLaurin believes that all children have a right to an equal, high-quality education, that all students can learn and that teachers can help them achieve. She successfully engages parents in raising achievement, and fosters professional development by welcoming teacher and principal interns at Giaudrone.
3. School of the Year: Drum Intermediate School
In the past few years, the administrators and staff at this University Place school have focused seriously on academic fundamentals and improved learning for all students.
In 2005, Drum outperformed Washington schools with similar demographics on the math, reading and writing portions of the Washington Assessment of
Student Learning. Leaders at Drum have established a culture of engagement with and service to the community. Children at Drum volunteer with senior citizens, clean up local parks and get involved in many other community projects. Drum has become an exceptional example of a good local school, and a rich place for UWT student teachers and principals to perfect their educational skills.
The Teacher and Principal Of the Year awards each come with a $1,000 prize. The School of the Year will be given $2,000. The awards are supported by a gift from UWT Advisory Board member and Simpson Investment Company President Ray Tennison and his wife, Marilyn.
For more information about this event or to purchase tickets, please contact the Education program at (253) 692-4430.
