Congratulations to Melissa Gallegos, T.O. Smith Elementary 5th & 6th grade teacher, for being honored with Ogden School District's January Achieving Higher Award for demonstrating extraordinary skill and dedication to having a growth mindset that supports student academic goals and increases student learning. 

Read her nomination below:

"Melissa has been an Integral part of making our blended program at T. O. Smith work well in our first year of implementation. She is a team player who has the best interest of our students in mind. When teaching with a blended model, teachers are looking at students skills and their deficits and determining what interventions and supports they need. I know that with Melissa as part of this blended team, our students are able to receive the specialized instruction that meet each of their individual needs. Melissa has also taught younger grade levels and has taken part in the LETRS training, which allows her to bring the skills and knowledge to support our students in literacy development in multiple grade levels."

Congratulations to Gillian Hansen, Ogden High School Chemistry teacher, for being honored with Ogden School District's January Achieving Higher Award for demonstrating extraordinary skill and dedication to having a growth mindset that supports student academic goals and increases student learning.

Read her nomination below:

"Gillian never gives up on her students! She motivates her students to push themselves and to gain deep understanding of chemistry concepts. Her students are developing scientific literacy through interactive notebooks, authentic lab experiences, and focused practice. Gillian knows where each of her students are in regards to their progress and provides support and many extra hours to ensure they reach their goals. students are always in her room after school to do test corrections, finish labs, get extra help, and more. Gillian facilitates rigorous learning and promotes a culture of student achievement! Gillian contributes immensely to our school culture. She runs our grade level team meetings (GLT), is our current science department chair, and also runs the school social committee." - Ryan Edelt

Congratulations to LeRea Low, Odyssey Elementary 5th/6th grade teacher, for being honored with Ogden School District's January Achieving Higher Award for demonstrating extraordinary skill and dedication to having a growth mindset that supports student academic goals and increases student learning. 

Read her nomination below:

"Rea is a literacy extraordinaire! She is passionate about developing student literacy, and that dedication shows in every action she takes. Rea began her work at Odyssey as a half-time classroom teacher/half-time small group reading interventionist, working with students who demonstrated the most intensive need for literacy intervention. Each of those students made more than typical growth due to Rea's careful instruction, progress monitoring, and goal setting. More importantly, she helped each of those students find joy in reading. Since transitioning into a full-time 5th grade teaching position, Rea has applied that love of literacy into the classroom every day. Her students are carefully leveled into small reading groups, which allows her to provide targeted literacy instruction that meets the unique needs of each group. Observing Rea's small group literacy instruction is truly delightful. She thoughtfully engages each group in standards-based instruction that requires all students to listen, speak, think, read, and write based on the content they are covering. Rea also requires her students to apply the knowledge and skills they are learning. She guides her writing class through a sequence of research, drafting, editing, and publishing that culminates in an "Author's Tea," in which several guests have the opportunity to come to her classroom and listen to her students read their opinion essays on topics that matters to them. Rea knows that the key to developing lifelong readers and writers is to help each student find joy in literacy, and she uses that mindset to inform every decision she makes in the classroom.Rea is just as determined to help adult learners develop a love for literacy. As a new member of our Odyssey School Leadership Team this year, she was integral in the development and implementation of our upper grades literacy goal for the school plan. Rea helped to carefully analyze DIBELS and SAGE data during our needs assessment, and shared some of the classroom practices she found to be successful. Rea's thoughtful analysis and reflection informed our action step of the implementation of the QAR (Question Answer Relationship) strategy in all 4th-6th grade classrooms. Rea not only helped to develop the action step, she also led a faculty training for the 4th-6th grade teachers, and has been their "go-to" for any ideas or questions. Although we are only in our first year of implementation, we are hopeful that a targeted focus on comprehension in our upper grades will lead to improved literacy outcomes. Rea has been a driving force behind that focus." - Sonja Davidson

Congratulations to Mark Blanchard, District Custodial supervisor, for being honored with Ogden School District's January Achieving Higher Award for demonstrating extraordinary skill and dedication to having a growth mindset that supports student academic goals and increases student learning. 
Read his nomination below:

 
"Marc is the ultimate epitome of growth mindset within Ogden School District. He frequently utilizes his lunch and breaks to volunteer with our district elementary schools with their reading programs. He doesn't expect others to fill the gaps that he himself isn't willing to help with. As a Custodial Support Specialist, he is not responsible for the literacy of our students within the district but as an outstanding member of our community and district personnel he is a perfect example of the dedication that Ogden School District inspires.

"It is with great pleasure that I nominate Mr. Marc Blanchard for consideration for the Achieving Higher Award within the Ogden School District. In addition to being exploratory as a Custodial Services Specialist he is an asset to our district as an extraordinary face to the district community as well as to the general public. Marc takes it upon himself to provide exceptional support and service to all district personal. He is quick and efficient in meeting the needs and wants of all those who come to him as well as offer recommendations or direction as needed. Beyond this he is extremely personable and helpful as others in our community utilize our buildings and spaces. Marc frequently utilizes his lunches to go tutor with the students at our district elementary schools with their reading programs. I know that Marc values each student he serves as he treats everyone with respect and care. Marc is the kind of person who serves for others, he takes the time out of his day to work with our students and give them positive support. Marc Blanchard is one of the most professional dedicated leaders of the Ogden School District Team I know. He is consistent in his strive to make Ogden District easy to work with for outsiders as well as within the district. He starts his mornings at 6 am working out with students at Ben Lomond in the gym forming relationships with our students who appreciate his time and efforts. One of my favorite experiences has been working with Mark on the Community Christmas event for the two years it has been held at Ben Lomond. Marc comes early 6:30am on a Saturday and stays late often till 11:30pm volunteering the entire day to make this community event run as smooth as possible. He finds solutions for each and any problem that arises and often shows the rest of us how to do it by his example. He is not the type of leader who tells others how to do things, he is the leader who works with others and shows them how to accomplish things well. He is a huge supporter of the events that occur after school and on weekends here at Ben Lomond and is always ready to make great relationships with the smallest of students to our seasoned employees. Marc is always willing to pitch in for the good of the community regardless of the group putting it on. I know I am a better person and employee because I know Marc Blanchard." -