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June 13, 2007—Seven district teachers recently received the Kids First Award, a program sponsored by the CFISD Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) and the Special Education Department, recognizing teachers and staff members who make a difference in the life of a child (or children) with disabilities.

“The teachers that receive the Kids First Award are exemplary,” said Carol Podraza, SEPAC committee member and Kids First Award coordinator. “I am privileged and blessed to meet these wonderful teachers and present them with an award, because I know to be nominated means they have already done a tremendous job balancing multiple students and their families.”

This year’s Kids First Awards were presented to Marge Mitchell, Fiest Elementary School nurse; Martha Easterly, Fiest PE teacher; Roxana Lovett, Lowery Elementary School adaptive behavior teacher; Melinda Watson, Lowery resource teacher; Mona Gayle Timko, Adaptive Behavior Center teacher; Amy Burns, Ault Elementary School special education teacher; and Sarah Hubble, Aragon Middle School life skills teacher.

Mitchell and Easterly were both nominated by Fiest parent Cynthia Taylor.

“My daughter has many health issues, but instead of that being a burden to Marge, she turned it into a positive,” Taylor said. “She established a relationship with my daughter and inspired her to grow into a beautiful young lady.

“Martha goes out of her way to make my daughter feel included when she is in school or even when she is in the hospital.”

Lovett and Watson were both nominated by Chris Rigdon, coordinator of curriculum for elementary special education.

“Roxana and Melinda are gifted, dedicated professionals, who do not believe in taking instructional shortcuts, but believe all students, behavioral or not, are capable of learning, if taught to their learning style,” Rigdon said.

Timko was nominated by fellow ABC teacher Ariane Edmundson, who said Timko “loves her parents as much as she does her students, and is always there with a helping hand.”

Burns was nominated by Ault parent Wendy Riley.

“She believes in social success and works hard on social skills to promote peer acceptance,” Riley said. “Children’s self-esteem soar when they work with Amy.”

Hubble was nominated by all the members of the Aragon administrative team.

“Sarah follows her heart and passion, is innovative and encourages and motivates others to put students first,” said one of the administrators. “She exemplifies the model teacher and all others want to emulate her.”

	Fiest Elementary School nurse Marge Mitchell won a Kids First Award on May 2 after receiving a nomination from parent Cynthia Taylor.
	Fiest Elementary School PE teacher Martha Easterly poses with one of her students shortly after winning a Kids First Award.
	Kids First coordinator Carol Sue Podraza, left, presents a Kids First Award to Lowery Elementary School resource teacher Melinda Watson on May 2.
	CFISD teacher Mona Gayle Timko, fifth from left, celebrates receiving her Kids First Award with co-workers at the Adaptive Behavior Center.
	Lowery Elementary School adaptive behavior teacher Roxana Lovett poses with her Kids First Award.
	Aragon Middle School life skills teacher Sarah Hubble reacts after being surprised with a Kids First Award on May 16.
(No photo available of Amy Burns)

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