Nc English Teacher Receives Recognition

Carrie Croson, an English teacher at North Central High School, was recognized by the American Association of School Administrator’s Salli Mae First Class Teacher Award Program.

Croson was selected by school officials last spring as a beginning teacher who demonstrated a level of excellence in the classroom.

Nancy Lopez of Hutton Elementary and Travis Wood of Adams Elementary were also selected as award winners.

Here is an excerpt of Croson’s essay which helped her win the award:

“I was a child prone to self doubt. I always questioned myself and my abilities. When I was offered the job at North Central, I spent the remaining few weeks before school started preparing ingenious lesson plans and beautiful assignments.

“I was ready! That is, until the 7:55 a.m. bell rang on the first day of school and a steady stream of freshmen poured into my classroom. They did not appear eager. In fact, they were lethargic. My enthusiastic welcome was returned with a meager glance or stare. All at once I was overcome by a tidal wave of anxiety. Those feelings of self doubt resurfaced, and the old questions came flooding back. What am I doing here? How do I know what they need? What can I possibly do for these young people? All of those childhood fears seemingly dried up were now pouring over me like a river. But it was 8 a.m. and my career was beginning.”

Dr. Gary Livingston, the Spokane schools superintendent, said the teachers exemplify the school district’s mission.

Mead to host workshops

The Mead School District’s Citizen Planning Committee is nearing the end of developing a three- to five-year capital facilities plan - part of a long-range 10-year plan - and is inviting the public to review it and make comments.

Two workshops will be held at Mead High School, 302 W. Hastings, in the west cafeteria. The first will be Tuesday at 7 p.m., the other on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.

In the last year, the committee has studied each of the district’s schools and their needs.

These include roofing, carpeting, classroom and multi-purpose room spaces, emergency lighting, electrical upgrades, traffic safety improvements and elementary school modernization.

In addition to modernizing Mead High School, the committee said the identified improvements would also affect Colbert, Brentwood, Evergreen, Farwell, Midway and Shiloh elementary schools, and Mead and Northwood Middle Schools.

, DataTimes