Valley Teachers Take All Pacesetter Awards

Sat., Feb. 12, 2000

By Marny Lombard marnyl@spokesman.com (509) 927-2166

Spokane Valley teachers swept the PaceSetter awards this year.

This award gives $500 to each of four teachers who create strong connections between school and careers.

The four winners are Scott Sutherland and Rob Behm, both of University High School; Carla Bagby, counselor at Skyview Elementary School; and Kathy Gordon, teacher at the Continuous Curriculum School.

Sutherland developed an alternative program at U-Hi, now in its second year. This year’s program has worked with more than 50 students, with a 90 percent retention rate.

Behm teaches commercial photography and gives career awareness seminars to students and parents. Behm “is a nonstop walking, talking and modeling proponent for school-to-work programs,” say U-Hi principal Erik Ohlund.

Bagby is a counselor at Skyview, where she has been the school’s liaison with the school’s business partner, Key Tronic Corp.

She organizes the school’s Junior Achievement program, a Little Partner Award, which recognizes good work ethic, as well as a conflict resolution program for fifth-graders.

Gordon, who teaches fifth- and sixth-graders at CCS, was recognized for a math project that took all CCS students to the Spokane Valley Mall to see how math is applied in the retail world.

Twelve teachers were nominated for the PaceSetter awards.

The awards are made by the Spokane Teachers Credit Union and Pathways, which is an effort by Spokane-area schools to help students connect with good professional-technical education and successful careers.

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