Plano Educators
Earn TI Foundation Innovations in STEM Teaching Awards
May 16, 2007
Six
Plano ISD teachers earned finalist recognition in the TI
Foundation Innovations in STEM Teaching Awards, recognizing superior
Plano ISD secondary teachers in the subjects of science, technology,
engineering
and mathematics (STEM). Of the six finalists, two were announced
as winners during a surprise
presentation
held
at
the May 15 meeting of the Plano ISD Board of Trustees.
TI
Foundation Innovations in STEM Teaching Award Winners
The
following two teachers each earned $5,000 cash awards and $5,000
for classroom technology and professional development.
Jennifer
Bernabo - Plano East
Senior High School
Chemistry and Advanced Placement Chemistry Teacher
Mary
Ellen Sablick - Rice Middle School
Math 8, Honors Algebra 1 and Power Math 8 Teacher
Pictured
(back row, l-r) Dr. Jim Wussow, executive director of secondary curriculum;
Teachers Tracy Ishman and Mike Coe; TI's Torrence Robinson;
Teacher Patrick Sullivan; Keith Braley, Plano ISD Education
Foundation president; and Linda Flack, secondary science
coordinator; (front row, l-r) Dr. Jim Wohlgehagen, secondary
mathematics coordinator; and Teachers Mary Ellen Sablick,
Jennifer Bernabo and Kelly Brooks.
Teacher
Finalists
Finalists
each received $500 cash awards.
Tracy
Ishman - Plano West Senior
High School
Advanced Placement Computer Science Teacher
Mike
Coe - Plano Senior High School Computer Science Teacher
Patrick
Sullivan - Carpenter Middle School
Seventh Grade Science Teacher
Kelly
Brooks - Williams High School
Teacher of Ninth Grade Algebra and 10th Grade Geometry for English as
a Second Language Students
Presentation
of Awards
Jim
Hirsch, Associate Superintendent for Academic and Technology
Services
"It has been
a privilege for PISD staff to work with the Plano ISD Education
Foundation
and
the Texas
Instruments
Foundation
to
develop
this award to honor outstanding Plano ISD secondary teachers of
science, technology and mathematics.
"This
opportunity was brought to us
by the Plano ISD Education Foundation as part of its continued
work with Foundation representatives from Texas Instruments,
as we jointly strive to advance STEM education in our schools with
the added support of community partners."
Keith
Braley, Plano
ISD Education Foundation President
"Last fall, in review of
important, major academic initiatives proposed by the district
for Foundation
support,
it
was determined
by our Foundation board to embrace the district’s efforts
to enhance Plano ISD middle school and high school instruction
of math and science...by raising additional private
funds for district-identified needs for which tax dollars were
not available.
"All
students’ successful completion of advanced
science, technology and mathematics courses is critical to their
future and important to our community, fueled by many
high tech corporations."
Mr. Braley continued, "As a result, the Plano ISD Education Foundation
created a vehicle for community support called STEM Partners, and
our Foundation
pledged to raise $100,000 for Plano ISD to reinstate the position
of a middle school math specialist in the 2007-2008 school year
and to provide added support for writing of on-line curriculum
in this
subject area.
"Texas Instruments was the first area corporation
to step forward, making a $25,000 donation, with others to follow.
In addition, at that time, the Texas Instruments Foundation offered
to our Foundation and school district the opportunity to recognize
outstanding teachers of these secondary courses with a $60,000
three-year pledge
in creation of the TI Foundation Innovations in STEM Teaching Awards
to be presented here this evening.
"We are most appreciative of
TI’s leadership in making these awards possible to Plano
ISD teachers and in helping us raise funds in support of these
programs as a Plano ISD Education Foundation STEM Partner...All
the teachers recognized tonight are exemplary in every way."
Dr. Jim Wussow, Plano ISD Executive Director for Secondary
Curriculum
As leader of the awards selection process, Dr, Wussow told trustees, "The
high caliber of teacher nominees was amazing and reaffirms that
Plano ISD teachers are among the most talented professionals in
the country.
"These honorees tonight are very hardworking teachers
whose students are energized and successful in the classroom.
These are teachers who demonstrate outstanding teaching skills
each day in the classroom. Tonight’s finalists who do not
receive the award may be renominated and may very well
reappear before the Board
as future winners."
Dr. Wussow explained that school
principals nominated their teachers for the awards, and both
principals and nominees completed the applications. District educators
reviewed
applications and selected six finalists who were each visited in
their classrooms by a final selection committee.
Torrence Robinson, Texas Instruments Director of Public Affairs
In announcing the winners, Mr. Robinson said, "TI is very
proud to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of teachers
in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
"For TI, it is about our future, as we need employees who
love to solve
problems. We view
this
award
as
our way to
acknowledge
the importance of STEM teaching in hopes that others follow suit
and instill the love of science, technology, engineering and math
in their students.
"The
teachers we are awarding tonight represent the cream of the crop
in Plano– those who are going beyond great with their teaching."
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