Hilliard Station Sixth Grade - Walk of Gratitude Round 2

In today's society we are all so busy. We constantly are pushing ourselves and each other to do more and to be more. In our quest to #BeELITE, we often forget to stop and reflect and simply say "thank you". To pause and take the time to tell those that make our lives better that we appreciate them for all the little things and big things they do to enhance our journey.

Within the Hilliard City Schools we focus on instilling a passion for growth in ourselves, our staff and our students. We push ourselves to #TheEdge each day to be the best for our students, colleagues, district, parents and the community we serve. We expect to be at the top of our profession. We push to be innovative, to take risk, to demonstrate a growth mindset and to stay above the line. We strive to provide a world class experience for our students that prepares them to be ready for tomorrow. We believe we have created this environment within our district because of the amazing staff that we have in front of our students each day. Those staff members all are relentless in their pursuit to #BeELITE in their classroom for their students.

So today we pressed pause and took time to simply say "thank you". To show gratitude for all the little and big things these professionals do each day to create a first class experience for our students. To let them know that they are appreciated and that their hard work does not go unnoticed. These teachers demonstrate a passion for growth which has created a classroom culture that promotes risk taking and fosters student growth both academically and socially! They are preparing students to be Ready for Tomorrow! THANK YOU!

We hope you enjoy reading about the first in a series of HCSD Walks of Gratitude! 

Today we feature: Station Sixth Grade Building - Cougars!

Diana Nicklas:
Diana Nicklas not only represents the best in music education, but also instructional best practice, differentiation and positive student relationships.  She has the ability to instruct over 200 students and meet the individual needs of each musician based on their level of ability.  She fosters a love of music and helps students recognizes the importance of hard work and perseverance over talent.  Her positive outlook shows through the interactions with her students and parents. Diana’s optimistic and growth mindset are infectious at Station.

Sabra Qualls:
If you want to see a compassionate, dedicated advocate for students, then visit the environment Sabra creates for all her students and colleagues.  She exemplifies the need to know her students, and by getting to know them, her students thrive in all classroom settings.  She is a proactive teacher and has gained the respect of not only the staff at Station but also those throughout the district. Sabra’s positive energy is contagious.  She embodies a culture of high expectations and professionalism and motivates others to grow in their craft. 

Tammy Stephanic:
Tammy Stephanic has the natural talent to push her students to high levels of achievement through her ability to engage her sixth graders in intellectually challenging work.  Tammy’s kindheartedness is seen daily in her classroom. She balances knowing her students and what they can do with her knowledge of the curriculum and what level they are mastering.  Students come away with a strong skillset and mindset to prepare them for future learning.  Tammy is always seen as a positive and professional role model where colleagues seek out her expertise and advice.

Scott Foster:
Instructional leaders are seen in many different roles in education. As a guidance counselor, Scott Foster is an outstanding colleague, mentor and necessary support system throughout Station.  Scott dedicates time building relationships with students and, as a result, students are comfortable talking to him for personal and academic advice. He is also an advocate for staff and maintains a positive outlook which contributes to the atmosphere at Station.  Because of his professionalism, staff and district employees respect his experiences and knowledge.  Scott is a pillar to Station’s success. 

Becky Alcox:
Mastery learning, PBL, and the workshop model are not only district initiatives but are also integral to Becky’s instructional practices. She is a pioneer with the develop of iBooks, mastery rubrics, and the workshop model in science.  She is continuously growing professionally and not afraid to take risks and share both successes and failures with not only her peers but throughout the district.  Becky sees failure as a learning opportunity and shares this mindset with her students, creating a growth mindset learning zone.   She motivates and supports others to take risks and is ready and willing to dive into new challenges alongside them. 

Thank you to our building administration for fostering cultures in their buildings that allow staff to #BeELITE. 
Hilliard Station Sixth Grade - Kevin Buchman and Jacob Grantier


With Gratitude,
Dawn Sayre(@dsayre32), Mark Tremayne(@t_livinthedream) and John Bandow

Stay Connected: Please follow us as a Secondary Curriculum Team on Twitter: @hcsdseced