Southwest Allen County Schools

January 2024

Andrew Haff, Social Studies and We the People Teacher, Woodside Middle School

Nomination commentary from two parents: 

My daughter, took Mr. Haff’s We the People and Social Studies class as an 8th grader (last year). Mr. Haff’s ability to teach challenging concepts and inspire young people to tackle tough topics through argument, supporting evidence, and critical thinking was amazing. I was blown away at the state WTP competition watching middle school students present civic arguments and answer questions about the U.S. Constitution, citing Supreme Court cases and other historical precedents. It is clear that Mr. Haff goes above and beyond the typical expectations of a teacher. We the People was truly a transformative experience for my daughter. Mr. Haff’s teaching ability and mentorship has inspired her to pursue a graduate degree in law and become an attorney.
 

Every parent wants to see their kids succeed and to reach the most of their potential. It requires a source of true inspiration to draw that out of students and push them to really reach beyond the normal day-to-day experience. My daughter has been happy with many different teachers and subjects over the years. However, I have never seen the true awe and inspiration that she gained from Mr. Haff’s We The People class. He pushed her to not only consider information in her text, but truly to evaluate her surroundings and apply that critical thinking to her daily life. He used readings, discussions, songs, and so many teaching strategies to reach every level of student. In my experience as a parent I would say Mr. Haff is not only worthy of teacher of the month or year. He is one of the best teachers I have ever seen. We are so lucky to have such an amazing talent in our district.

Elizabeth Dickmeyer, ED Teacher, Deer Ridge Elementary

Nomination commentary from six of her colleagues.  Here is what a couple of them had to say

“Ms. Dickmeyer is one of the most positive teachers I’ve had the experience in working with. I continue to be inspired and amazed by her love for children.” “Ms. Dickmeyer gives each of her students the love, patience, structure, and guidance they need to grow. She has persisted in her level of commitment to every student in her program.”

February 2024

Cynthia Dahn, Bus Driver, SACS Transportation

Nomination commentary from parent: 

“Ms. Cynthia always has a smile on her face...You can tell she truly cares for each and every student...I pray every year she is still my kids bus driver!”

Amy Acree, Media Instructor, Homestead High School 

Nomination commentary from coworker. 

“Amy returned to Homestead last year as a librarian (she was an English teacher when she moved to another district), and she has made such an outstanding difference in our library. She is open to working alongside teachers with any research or library related content, and she has great ideas and passion. She also supports students in numerous ways. My students were just commenting how quickly she responds to their requests for help - usually within minutes. Also, she has prioritized making the library inclusive and accessible for our special needs students. I am so honored to work with her. She has improved the Homestead experience in specific and important ways.”

Leslie Harman, Science Teacher, Woodside Middle School

Nomination commentary from a parent and a student:

Parent: “Ms. Harman is a very supportive teacher! Super impressed with her interest in her students. I have received multiple calls with updates, suggestions, and support. She cares about the children she has the opportunity to teach and it shows!”

Student:  “Mrs. Harman really cares about her students, even beyond science class. She always checks in with all of her students at the start of each class and she wants to know what’s going on in our lives. Mrs. Harman is easy to trust and very authentic. She also makes science easy to understand and fun, and really wants to help us succeed. Even though she was our teacher last year, this year she still checks in and wants to know how we are doing. If you ask anybody, they’ll tell you that Mrs. Harman really made a difference in their 7th grade year.”

Karen Gilpin, Counselor, Summit Middle School

Nomination commentary from a peer:

“Mrs. Gilpin is a constant advocate for student wellbeing and moral boost to staff. This year, she has run Student Assistance Program groups for students to get support for family, grief, anger management and anxiety/wellness. Mrs. Gilpin also organizes a 12 Days of Holiday Cheer for Summit staff to have a fun way to bond and wrap up the first semester with joy, creativity and prizes. She deserves an award for being such a helpful and positive role model at Summit.”

April 2024

Brianna Lisak, Social Studies, Homestead High School

Nominations:

“Ms. Lisak goes above and beyond to make sure all of her lessons and activities are meeting the needs and accommodations for all of her students. She makes everything accessible even if we are not e-learning to ensure that even students who are absent or need any additional help will have it. She is caring and plays into the students interests with her Chuck Norris and James Dean memorabilia. If I were in high school, I would be so blessed and ecstatic to have Bri Lisak as a history teacher, even though it was my worst subject.”

“Miss Lisak is one of the most dedicated teachers that I have ever seen and is someone who genuinely, truly cares about students' well-being and their learning. She spends countless hours making sure that all of her lessons provide an equal amount of accessibility among all learning styles, and goes out of her way to try to increase engagement in a safe learning environment for kids of all backgrounds and lifestyles. She is often seen in and around the building after school hours in pursuit of making an excellent learning experience for all.”

April 2024

Joel Rossi, Driver, SACS Transportation 

Nominations:

“Mr. Joel is always happy! He has a consistent positive energy and smile every morning. He greets parents and kids with enthusiasm and makes everyone just feel good! Mr. Joel deserves recognition for his constant positivity, enthusiasm, and energy for kids!”

“Mr. Joel is exactly the type of person who you would want to be the first person to greet your child, as well as the last person they see as they end their school day (on the bus). He exudes positivity and kindness. He genuinely cares about all of the kids in his care, and he makes sure they know that through his actions. He is one of a kind, and we are lucky to have him as our bus driver!.”

“Mr. Joel has always gone above and beyond. The first day I met him at back to school night I knew he was someone very special. He knew the bus stops of each child and learned their names. He always greats the children by their name with excitement, happiness, and a huge smile. He also always addresses the parents at the bus stop and wishes us a great day or weekend. Mr. Joel deserves the Superstar Award for a feel of the reasons I mentioned along with many more. He’s an outstanding asset to SACS.”