Two of Maine’s newest and brightest middle level teachers were honored this week as Promising Practioners at the 2014 NELMS Annual Conference. The criteria for the award are:
- Enjoys teaching middle level students
- Makes a positive difference in the school
- Fosters community connections
- Seeks professional development and implements innovative ideas
- Meets the needs of individual students, using effective middle level practices such as:
- Incorporating activity-based learning
- Developing a sense of student ownership in their learning
- Integrating higher order thinking
- Fostering curriculum connections
Congratulations to…
Sara Donahue, Special Education Teacher at Presque Isle Middle School
Molly Brewer, Spanish teacher at Medomak Middle School
NELMS also presented two Distinguished Service Awards, also known as the James Garvin Award. Criteria for this award:
- A record of service that reflects a high level of dedication and commitment to the cause of quality education for early adolescents.
- A life that models the human qualities which, one day, we would want early adolescents to emulate.
- A record of scholarship invested in helping others to better understand the unique needs of early adolescents.
- A record of activities that clearly demonstrates a concern for those less fortunate, in need of special leadership.
- A record of leadership in organizing and directing others to excellence in middle level education.
This year’s recipients of the Distinguish Service Award are Chris Toy and Jill Spencer.
We have moved! 
We’re like bookends supporting and supported by all the great middle level educators between us! Honored to be in such distinguished company.
Congratulations Sara and Molly – your students are fortunate! The future belongs to you and other young middle school educators dedicated to teaching young adolescents.
Thank you Chris and Jill for your years of commitment to middle level education. I am sooooooo proud to know you! ~Argy