SELINSGROVE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT LEARNING SUPPORT TEACHER AND PARAPROFESSIONAL APRESENTED WITH THE LAURETTA WOODSON AWARD BY THE SNYDER COUNTY PASR

 

Each year, the Snyder County Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees gives the Lauretta Woodson Award to an educator and a support staff employee who have been nominated for the award by students, peers or parents.  This award recognizes an educator and support staff member who exhibit creativity, initiative or productivity relevant to the learning process and growth of children.

 

The honorees are Julia Arnold, Learning Support teacher at the Selinsgrove Area High School and Marylynn Hibbert, a Paraprofessional in grade 4 at the Selinsgrove Area Intermediate School.

 

                           

 

 

 

Ms. Arnold was nominated for the award by William J. Switala, Jr., Social Studies Department Chairperson.  She co-teaches a freshman history class with Mr. Switala.  He stated that he is daily inspired by her initiative, creativity, and ability to inspire.  Prior to the course’s beginning, Julia took the initiative to adapt our projects, tests, and activities for each support student.  Although a tremendous undertaking, she worked hard outside of school and her content area to create adaptations that make history accessible to her identified students.  Her creativity is evident in these adaptations as her modifications to our projects make them more thought provoking and imaginative.  Her ingenuity not only inspires students, but enables them to be successfully integrated into our classroom environment with minimal disruption to the flow of class.

 

Mr. Switala also said Julia has the exceptional capability to be simultaneously demanding and kind.  She does not allow the students with whom she works to slack off or use their disability as an excuse.  She creates an environment within the classroom where they can be successful and inspires them to reach beyond what anyone believed possible.  Her kindness, efficiency, and professionalism only serve to bolster and perpetuate our common goal of a student-centered classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Hibbert was nominated for the award by her principal, Matthew Conrad.  She is paraprofessional in grade 4 and also serves as the Director/Coordinator for our Study Buddy after school program, where she works with students in grades 3-5 to further assist them with their academics and homework.  As the after school program coordinator, Marylynn meets with parents and discusses their student’s progress and serves as a communication bridge between school and home.  She can often be found helping wherever she is needed, for example, various duties such as, bus, breakfast and lunch duties.  She not only assists her grade 4 students with IEP’s, she also helps the other students in the classroom who struggle.  She is always giving a kind word to students to motivate them to give it their very best.  Mrs. Hibbert also goes above and beyond by helping other staff beyond her grade 4 role to assist them in every way.  Mr. Conrad stated that she is a true team player who jumps in to help in any situation she finds herself in.  Mrs. Hibbert was given a standing ovation by all the members of the Intermediate School staff when she received the award. 

 

Lauretta Woodson was a graduate of West Chester Teachers College in English with a Masters from Columbia and a PhD. from Temple University.  She taught in the public schools before she went on to become an assistant professor at Temple University.  Ms. Woodson retired in 1984 and created a trust to recognize one teacher and one support personnel employee each year throughout Pennsylvania school districts.  Elsie Straub, past president,  presented the honorees with a certificate from the state organization, a medal and pin, and a monetary gift from the Snyder County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees.