Fuller Elementary Teacher is 2010 Wake County Teacher of the Year
May 13, 2010 – Fuller Magnet Elementary School teacher Elizabeth Plotkin is the 2010 Wake County Teacher of the Year.Interim Superintendent Donna Hargens presented Plotkin the Wake County Teacher of the Year Award sponsored by Wachovia Bank at tonight's banquet. Hargens praised Plotkin for her devotion to children, her leadership in encouraging positive student behavior and with her school’s professional learning teams. Plotkin received applause from hundreds of community and education leaders attending the event.
 Elizabeth Plotkin 2010 Wake County Teacher of the Year |
Plotkin teaches kindergarten at Fuller Magnet Elementary
Plotkin has been teaching for four years, all at Fuller Magnet Elementary. She is the facilitator for the kindergarten professional learning team at the school. She has also volunteered to work with youth through her church and to speak to students in the Education Program at Meredith College.
In addition, Plotkin works with Fuller staff and PTA to prepare meals and hosts sessions for the school’s bi-monthly family nights. For Plotkin, teaching is more than a job.
“My goals as a teacher are to provide opportunities for children to make positive memories in the school environment, to build a foundation of finding joy in learning, and to claim each day as a chance to be the change in a child’s life,” said Plotkin. “Making connections between children’s lives and the curriculum creates engaged learners. Using all the resources in your environment to reach students enables maximum growth.”
Principal Chris Scott says Plotkin serves as the chair of the school’s Positive Behavior Support Committee and is on the Student Support Team.
“She has empowered teachers with realistic strategies to anticipate, pre-correct and respond to student behaviors,” said Scott. “She has reorganized the PBS committee this year to create sub-committees, establishing task lists and setting goals for the school year. She has also recognized the importance of teaching families about PBS by adding a section to the school’s Parent Handbook and presenting sessions at Fuller Family Nights.”
Teacher of the Year gifts
As the Wake County Teacher of the Year, Plotkin will represent Wake County in the North Carolina Teacher of the Year competition. She succeeds Rene Herrick, a Combs Magnet Elementary School teacher and the 2009 Wake County Teacher of the Year.
Wake County's Teacher of the Year receives:
- An engraved acrylic award
- A Netbook laptop computer and an all-in-one printer compliments of Office Depot and Hewlett Packard;
- A travel cart filled with various classroom and office supplies compliments of Sonya Reid and Chuck Griffin of Office Depot as well as Mechel Murdaugh of Hewlett Packard;
- A check for $ 1,000 compliments of corporate sponsors
- The Dan Royster Teacher award, $2,000 toward participation in the Center for International Understanding's Global Study Program, compliments of The Center for International Understanding. The award will provide support for Wake County’s “2010 Teacher of the Year” to participate in the Center for International Understanding’s 2010Destination Study Program.
The Dan Royster Teacher award was established as a tribute and memorial to Dan Royster, a Wake County science teacher and enthusiastic international exchange participant. The award is funded through contributions from his family and friends.
Candidates for Teacher of the Year are nominated and elected by their peers. The teacher candidates develop portfolios that describe their teaching careers and philosophy of teaching. The selection committees review the portfolios and narrow the field to 24 semifinalists. The selection committees observe the semifinalists in their classrooms and each committee chooses one teacher to be among the 12 finalists. The finalists are interviewed by the Teacher of the Year Interview Committee. Based upon the interview, the committee then chooses the Teacher of the Year by secret ballot.
Finalists
The finalists are Carole Barber of Fuquay-Varina High, Douglas Steve Clark of West, Lake Elementary, Margaret Feldman of Salem Middle, Paul Bissell Graves of Daniels Magnet Middle, Breanna Harrill of Athens Drive High, Jennifer Hunter of North Forest Pines Elementary, Christina Rudd of Cary High, James Ryan of Knightdale High,
Davida Tatum of Harris Creek Elementary, Alice Verstrat of Garner Magnet High and
Carol Wooten of Hunter Magnet Elementary.
The eleven finalists received a $250 cash prize compliments of corporate sponsors; a travel cart filled with various classroom and office supplies compliments of Sonya Reid and Chuck Griffin of Office Depot; and an engraved acrylic award.
This is the seventh year that Wachovia Bank has sponsored the Wake County Teacher of the Year Award and banquet.
More information is available at 2010 Wake County Teacher of the Year Finalists at http://www.wcpss.net/news/2010_may5_toy_finalists/
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