The district has adjusted the way we do Teacher of the Year this year. Instead of just one overall Teacher of the Year, we have decided to try to celebrate more of our teachers by giving each site a Teacher of the Year.
The same committee of nine staff members (2 teachers and 1 principal from each building) met to discuss the nominations and then voted anonymously on an Elementary Teacher of the Year, Middle School Teacher of the Year, and then High School Teacher of the Year.
This year's High School Teacher of the Year is Drenna Robertson!
Mrs. Robertson teaches a Business class, Computers I, ACT Prep, and a Personal Finance class to high school students and also teaches two sections of sixth grade Computers. She leads the SMAC group at the school and is also one of the two Senior Sponsors.
Some of the things her peers had to say about her were:
"Drenna does the #1 thing that we should do as educators, she makes a personal connection and/or relationship with her students. She is also alternative certified and has done a great job of transitioning to the classroom. She holds her students to high expectations in and outside of the classroom. Drenna has also dove in head first to her new role of becoming a technology teacher. She is constantly researching, following, and making connections in the technology world to better her own understanding and the student's knowledge as well. She has also taken on a role of "Technology Coach." Drenna has presented PD at our school, Quapaw, and Commerce. She helps staff members with Google related items and Wengage, all with no fuss."
"Drenna's greatest contribution to Wyandotte is creating those meaningful relationships that extend inside and outside the classroom. By creating these relationships, students feel comfortable confiding in her and they feel safe. Also, by Drenna doing that students know the boundaries of personal and classroom time."
"I personally know the work that goes into each one of her classes and lesson plans. We constantly share PD, links, resources, blogs, templates, etc... with each other. I have been the one to check to make sure her assignments work or given her resources that I think would work in her classroom. Being a technology teacher is rough, we have standards but technology changes every single day. She has to constantly keep up to date on these said changes all while also integrating that within her classroom and teaching/presenting those changes to staff members."
"Students feel comfortable to come to Drenna for personal and classroom reasons, that is her strength. She has such a rapport that juniors/seniors are constantly confiding in her for guidance for scholarships, college applications, ACT registration, FAFSA applications, OK Promise, etc...the list goes on and on. I have also witnessed her improve her business class over the last couple of years. It is so fascinating to watch her give these students total control over a business from start to finish. She truly wants them to succeed!"
Others pointed out that she has a great knowledge of her subject, interacts well with students, is very prepared for instruction, is realistically preparing them for the future, and that her students are eager to learn and apply their newly acquired skills.
Congratulations to our 2019/2020 Wyandotte High School Teacher of the Year: Drenna Robertson!