CdA teacher earns state honors

Amanda Hunter and Jennifer O’Hagan call Paula Conley their sister. They write her notes and talk to her as if she were a good friend.

Once this summer, they all went out to lunch together. Conley picked up the two girls and another in a limo, and they went out to a fancy lunch at The Brix and then to a salon to get new hairdos.

On Monday, Amanda and Jennifer were front and center in the gym at Canfield Middle School, holding a big yellow banner congratulating Conley as she was named Idaho’s 2005 Teacher of the Year.

The unsuspecting Conley – teachers had been told the morning’s assembly would feature a motivational speaker – was high-fived by teachers and students as she made her way down from the balcony. A deafening standing ovation stretched on for minutes.

“This is truly motivational,” the 54-year-old English teacher said, wiping tears from her eyes.

Conley has taught in Coeur d’Alene schools since 1990. She started as a first-grade teacher at Ramsey Elementary School and moved to Sorensen Elementary to teach fifth grade the following fall. She taught there until 2001, moved to Skyway Elementary and, in 2003, was hired at Canfield.

Principal Jeff Bengtson said Conley was doing some curriculum work in the building in 2001 when he ran into her as he was getting a cup of coffee. He was getting ready to post a job opening and conduct interviews, but after five minutes with Conley, he knew he had found his teacher, he said.

“Paula’s awesome,” Bengtson said. “She just connects so well with kids. She forges that relationship first; then she makes sure they learn.”

Bengtson said he’s never heard anything bad about Conley. No parents or kids have complained.

Jennifer and Amanda said they don’t know of any students who dislike Conley or don’t enjoy her classes.

They said they weren’t surprised when she was named the district’s and then the state’s Teacher of the Year.

“She helped us a lot,” Jennifer said. “She teaches great. Every student she’s had, I guarantee they’ve learned a lot.”

Jennifer and Amanda said they both were struggling in reading until Conley offered help. To reward the girls for their progress, Conley planned the lunch date.

“I believe the No. 1 thing is to make connections with students,” Conley said. “If they’re not connected to you, there’s something missing.”

If students feel a connection to their teachers, Conley said, they will believe in what they are being taught.

She shakes hands with every student before each one of her classes every day.

“I have spoken to every student every day,” she said. “I think that’s important.”

In her application for the award, Conley wrote that she likes to be involved with her students as individuals.

She attends extracurricular activities and invites students to call her at home if they have homework questions or just want to talk.

“She’s worked awful hard,” said her husband, GB Conley. “Kids come back after they’ve been gone 10 years and say she’s made a difference in their life. That’s rare and special.”

As Idaho’s Teacher of the Year, Conley will have the chance to meet with state legislators, and the state Department of Education will hold a reception in her honor. She will meet Teachers of the Year from other states and compete for the national title. And she likely will have an opportunity to meet President Bush.

The title also comes with a $1,000 prize for Conley to use as she likes, plus computer equipment donated by various sponsors.

Monday’s announcement was attended by state Superintendent of Education Marilyn Howard, members of the Coeur d’Alene School Board, state Board of Education member Sue Thilo, district administrators and three former Idaho Teachers of the Year.

Conley is the fourth Coeur d’Alene teacher to win the statewide honor in the past six years. She joins Judy Bieze, Nancy Larsen and Patty Perry.

“It’s a trend, and I like it,” Coeur d’Alene Superintendent Harry Amend said.

He said it’s extraordinary to have four teachers recognized in six years considering each of the 114 school districts in Idaho can nominate a teacher for the award. And each year, only one teacher in the state is recognized.

Howard said there’s no limit to how many Teacher of the Year winners can come from a single district, such as Coeur d’Alene.

“They still have more wonderful teachers here,” she said.