Special education teacher is rewarded for extra time and effort
Service projects at school lead to Teacher of the Month honor
from the Ohio Lottery

EUCLID -- It makes sense for every teacher to be on the same page and for every child to know what to expect. Thanks to Karen Gainford, who teaches second- and third-grade special education, that’s exactly what is happening at Roosevelt Elementary School in Euclid.

As a member of the discipline committee at Roosevelt, Gainford spearheaded the creation of a DVD that explains the discipline plan, which is applied uniformly school-wide. Gainford then used her summer vacation time to edit and finish the DVD, which outlines expected student behavior and explains discipline procedures.

For this and her efforts in developing a recycling program at the school, Gainford is being honored as the Ohio Lottery’s January Teacher of the Month for Cuyahoga County. Terrie Dodd, a fourth-grade teacher at the school, nominated Gainford, saying “she deserves to be honored not only for these projects, but because she takes great care to treat all children with respect.”

Thanks to Gainford’s efforts on the discipline committee, every Roosevelt family has received a copy of the DVD, which is also used to explain the “Roosevelt Rules” to new students at the school. “We hope that by reaching every family, Roosevelt will continue to be a great place to learn and to work,” Dodd says.

As an Ohio Lottery Teacher of the Month, Gainford will receive four tickets to an upcoming Cleveland Cavaliers game, where she will be publicly recognized on the court. She will receive a prize pack of Cavaliers’ merchandise and assorted Partners in Education merchandise from the Lottery.

“I’m really honored to be selected,” Gainford says. “All teachers work really hard, and it’s great to be recognized for that. And I love the Cavs, so this is really great!”

The Ohio Lottery will continue to recognize Academic All Stars and Teachers of the Month throughout the school year. For more information about the program and for nomination forms, go to www.Ohiolottery.com.