In November, we reflected on everything we’re thankful for. One thing we are incredibly grateful for is Ohio’s hardworking students and teachers. Check out our Partners in Education November Academic All Stars and Teachers of the Month!
Our first November Academic All Star is
Marissa Regula. Marissa is a sophomore at Fairless High School. She is described as very personable with an excellent sense of humor. She gets along well with her peers. Andrew Bruno nominated Marissa and said, “She is a very respectful young person, who possesses an incredible work ethic. She is easily the most conscientious and serious student in my College Writing 1 class.”
Payton Kerg is our next November Academic All Star. Payton is in kindergarten at Lakewood City Schools. Due to COVID-19, Payton has been remote learning this year, but she has a very positive attitude towards school. Shawn Henry submitted Payton’s nomination and said, “Payton has an artistic flair and enjoys using a mix of crayons, markers, glue and paint in her lessons. She has an amazing math aptitude. While she excels in math, she loves science and experiments! She’s not afraid to go outside of her comfort zone by trying new things.”
Piper George is in the seventh grade at Loveland Middle School and she is a November Academic All Star! Piper is an honors student, cheerleader, gymnast and member of the Girl Scouts. Karol Warden nominated Piper and said, “Piper puts her academics first and works hard to be at the top of her class. She is a great role model for the younger gymnasts and for those girls wanting to become cheerleaders. She is a pleasure to teach and coach.”
Our last November Academic All Star is
Dakota Kirk. Dakota is in the seventh grade at Teays Valley West Middle School. He is an honor roll student working to get into the National Junior Honor Society. He plays basketball and wrestles, and he is a percussion player in the school band. Tracey Kirk nominated Dakota and said, “Dakota strives to be his best academically and socially. He is kind to everyone and always willing to be the friend someone needs.”
Our first November Teacher of the Month is
Troy Sweeney. Troy teaches eighth grade Science at Teays Valley West Middle School. He is known for making his students feel welcome in his class. Kayla Cline nominated Troy and said, “What separates him from all the other teachers is his light and funny spirit. He is always joyful and fun to be around.”
Joel Shurance teaches at Cloverleaf High School and is our next November Teacher of the Month. Joel teaches ninth grade Honors English and eleventh and twelfth grade AP Literature. He is known for being an innovative teacher and a leader in his school. He serves as the head of the high school’s English department. Neil Rainey nominated Joel and said, “Joel Shurance innovates within his classroom to constantly evolve based on the needs of his students. He is a continual learner and is willing to try out new strategies and options to see what works best. As a leader, he is always willing to help other teachers meet the needs of their students as well, which means he helps not only his own students, but hundreds of others as well.”
Daniel Caproni is our next Teacher of the Month. Daniel teaches twelfth grade Probability and Statistics, and ACT Math at Western Hills High School. He also serves as the Math department chair. Yolanda Lawson nominated Daniel and described him as “one of the hardest working teachers I have ever encountered.” Due to the pandemic, he has worked hard to make sure his students never miss a lesson. He started making YouTube videos to coincide with his Math lessons.
Prisca Ngolo teaches fifth grade reading at Robinson Community Learning Center and is a November Teacher of the Month. Prisca is a substitute at the school who will now be teaching long term. Melanie Foertch nominated Prisca and notes her passion and professionalism. Melania said, “Prisca has adapted to online teaching with grace and confidence. She works with the fifth-grade team to collaborate, teach, co-teach, plan and track the students’ learning. She has become a valued member of the team.”
Our next November Teacher of the Month is
Doreen Bockert. Doreen teaches Special Education for kindergarten through third grade. She is known for her dedication to her students’ success. William Deletti nominated Doreen and said, “Doreen Bockert puts her heart, soul and much of her salary into all of her students. Students making progress and learning their basics in education are paramount to Ms. Bockert. She puts every effort into reaching her students, even to the point of tutoring on her time. She has worked on developing her own interactive classroom to give her students an extra resource. Her dedication to the success of her students goes well beyond just the hours in the classroom.”
Our last November Teacher of the Month is
Widad Mousa. Widad teaches English and Arabic for grades nine through twelve. She is known for being dedicated and committed to her school and being well-loved by her students, fellow teachers and her community. Donna Villareal nominated Widad and said, “She loves to help students meet the challenges of learning a new language and achieving in the classroom. During the pandemic, she worked tirelessly and with optimism to help students continue learning, even through the summer. During the new school year, she continues to go above and beyond to help her students.”
Congratulations to all of our November Partners in Education winners! You can nominate an outstanding student or teacher for Academic All Star and Teacher of the Month online by
Clicking Here. Nominations are due by 5:00 p.m. on the 10
th of every month.