Katy Elementary School

Leslie Smuts, Principal Katy : School District

March 18, 2013

To Whom It May Concern:

It is my honor to recommend Mrs. Leslie Griffin as the 2013 KISD Teacher of the Year. She wasrecently elected as the new Katy Elementary Teacher of the Year and may I say this honor is sowell-deserved. Mrs. Griffin has taught kindergarten at Katy Elementary for the past 4 years.

I first met Mrs. Griffin at the KISD Teacher Job Fair in the spring of 2009. At that time, she wasteaching in Oklahoma but, because of her husband's job, was moving to the Katy area. We did havea vacancy at KE in kindergarten so I had my interview team on the lookout for an outstandingkindergarten teacher and boy, did they find one! When Mrs. Griffin came to our table, she firsttalked with my kindergarten team leader and assistant principal. They soon let me know that Mrs.Griffin was someone that I needed to interview for our kindergarten position. And, after talkingwith her for a few minutes, I could certainly see why. It was clear that Mrs. Griffin was one of thosevery special teachers. Her passion for teaching and for children was obvious. I submitted arecommendation request to the HR Department immediately because I could tell shewas the type ofteacher KE needed. What a find she has turned out to be!

It's hard to put in to words the kind of positive impact Mrs. Griffin has made on our campus.Students, parents, and fellow teachers love and respect her. Everyone can see that she loves whatshe does and the children she works with. As a classroom teacher, Mrs. Griffin serves students witha wide range of abilities. For the past several years, I have assigned her to be the "inclusion" class inkindergarten for those students with special needs, including ESOL students. One would think, andrightly so, that it would be very difficult to meet the needs all of these different students, but LeslieGriffin makes it happen. It is amazing to watch her in action teaching all of her students andallowing each of them to experience success.

Not only does Mrs. Griffin succeed with her students, she works well with her colleagues. Forseveral years now, she has served on the language arts vertical team and PLC. She definitely is oneof my "go to" people on campus. She is cun'ent serving as our campus representative on the districtEmployee Roundtable committee. She never says "no" and always has a positive attitude.

Mrs. Griffin consistently exhibits the qualities of a district Teacher of the Year. It is amazing eachyear how far she takes her students, both academically and developmentally. I'll never forget thefirst year she taught at KE, everyone thought she had a first grade class, instead of kindergarten,because the students advanced so quickly with her instruction and expectations. She is the type ofteacher that a child never forgets and, indeed, each is fortunate to have her as his/her teacher.

Sincerely,

Principal

5726 George Bush Drive • Katy, Texas 77493 ° 281-237-6550 ° Fax: 281-644-1550 * www.katyisd.org/ke

II. Essay Questions

A, What is your source of inspiration in the classroom?

My inspiration comes from the vision I have for each and every one of my students;

in them I see success. I dearly love each of my students and cherish the opportunity fo

help them achieve not only their academic goals, but to also overcome their struggles in

life. I am reminded daily of their uniqueness and use their own uniqueness to find the best

way to instruct them while modeling the life skills of kindness, forgiveness, and acceptance

of others.

B. What makes teaching rewarding for you?

As a kindergarten teacher, each year my students arrive apprehensive, excited, yet

hopeful. For some, it is their first experience in a classroom setting. We begin immediately

learning to share, learning to work together, and learning to listen. With success comes

struggle and disappointment. The reward of each success helps us move forward through

the next struggle. Watching each child progress into a little leader, lets me know I have

guided my students and prepared them for their future.

C. What would you consider your most significant teaching accomplishment?

My most significant teaching accomplishment is my ability to find what motivates a

student to learn or to misbehave, and then use this knowledge to help them become

successful. My taking the time to learn what makes "Alex" tick has completely changed his

life. His behavior now allows him "fit in" and participate in the school setting and has made

a world of difference at home as well. My greatest personal satisfaction comes from

helping those students who are under achieving and struggling become confident and attain

levels of success they never thought possible.

III. Educational History and Professional Development

EDUCATION

West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeBA Elementary Education

Taylor University

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

1978 - 1981

1977- 1978

Katy ISDKindergarten

August 2009 - present

Ponca City Public SchoolsKindergarten

August 2007- August 2009

Ponca City Christian Academy2007Kindergarten

August 2000 - August

First Assembly Christian SchoolKindergartenPre-KindergartenCombined 2nÿ/3rd GradeDay Care Teacher

August 1987 - August 2000

West Sayville Christian School19835th Grade

August 1981 - August

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS

Association of Texas professional Educatorspresent

2011 -

PROFESSIONAL AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES

Katy Elementary KIC Representativepresent

August 2012 -

Katy Elementary Language ArtsPLC Representative for Kindergartenpresent

August 2010-

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AWARDS AND OTHER RECOGNITIONS

Katy Elementary "Teacher of the Year"

Ponca City Christian Academy "Teacher of the Year"2OO6

2013 - 2014

2005 -

First Assembly Christian School "Teacher of the Year" 1997- 1998

Texas Educator Certification2015

StandardClassroom Teacher

Generalist (Grades EC - 6)

2010 -

Texas Educator Certification2010

One Year

Generalist

August 2009 - August

Oklahoma State Teacher CertificationEarly Childhood (pre-K - 3)Elementary Education (Grades 1 - 8)

June 2007 - June 2012

Oklahoma State Teacher Certification 2006-2008

Association of Christian Schools International Educator CertificationStandard

2004 - 2009

West Virginia ProfessionaITeacher Certification2004

2001-

Oklahoma State Teacher Certification 1985-1988

IV. Professional Biography

I was born and raised in Sayville, Long Island, New York. At the time, this was a

small community on the Great South Bay where generations of family members were

fishermen. Because my mother was a First Grade teacher, my brother and I were raised

with high personal and academic expectations.

During my High School years I began working for the Town of Islip Recreation

Department as an Arts and Crafts Instructor. I enjoyed the planning and creativity it took

to make these lessons enjoyable and successful for the kids. It's because of my

experiences those three summers, I decided to pursue a degree in Elementary Education.

I began my teaching career in a small accredited Christian School in Sayville

teaching Fifth Grade. The parents were supportive, the students were sweet, and our

classroom was one of mutual respect and courtesy. After I married, we moved to

Oklahoma. In Oklahoma I resumed my teaching career at a Christian School.

In 2007, with both of our sons off to college, I accepted a Kindergarten teaching

position in one of the neighborhood schools in the Ponca City, Oklahoma public school

system. My teaching position was at one of the most "challenging" elementary schools in

the system. I really had no idea about what to expect or the challenges that were to come.

I spent the summer cleaning, decorating, and preparing a spotlessly clean classroom. Little

did I know that is not at all what they needed from me.

The first day of school finally arrived and with great anticipation I greeted parents

and grandparents and my new students. I greeted them with smiles, hugs and kind words.

I told each of them how blessed I felt to be given the opportunity to teach these little

children. It was not long before I became aware of the depth of poverty, drugs, abuse, and

severe learning disabilities which accompanied so many of these children.

As the year began, I became very familiar with the foster care system, the social

security system, and the fact that my notes sent home needed to be addressed with the

heading "Dear Caregiver". The next two years at this school with these precious children

brought changes to my teaching style. The classroom was based upon an atmosphere of

love, a climate of respect, and the sense of high expectations. The classroom decorations

were solely the students' work, and we all cherished the successes of each student. As

time passed, I no longer worried about catching head lice or the smells of their clothes;

my only worry was these little children. When I sat next to the parents and caregivers of

my students during conferences, I was reminded by the "Grace of God" my own two sons

were "normal" and my calling was now to search for and integrate new and creative ways to

teach the year's academic goals as well as aid in the students' personal needs. The

gratefulness I received from these families when their child read to them or shared their

work with them was overwhelming.

I am currently teaching Kindergarten at Katy Elementary. I lÿruly love the staff and

my students and continue to have a classroom based upon mutual respect, love, and high

expectations for everyone.

V. Community Involvement

My classroom is like a picture of the community I call home and the community in

which I teach. Through these children I am linked to their parents, their families their

churches and their lives.

Like most teachers I know, I give my own time and money to the students who are

entrusted to my care for a year of their lives. A barrel of markers for my class, a book to

add to the classroom library or a new eraser for a student in need of a "fresh start" are

all part of a teacher's daily routine. As teachers, I believe the most precious commodity

we have to give to others is our time. It is the time we invest in those we love which pays

the greatest dividends. It is likewise the time we invest in our community, and the time we

invest in the young students who are the future of our communities that will return the

most precious dividends.

It is the countless hours in the evenings, after school and most weekends I spend

preparing new activities that enhances each day's lessons and focus on making the next

day's lessons more meaningful and successful.

It is the days spent in professional education classes where I am exposed to new

ideas and changes in the education system that will enable me to enhance my lessons even

further.

It is the moments I reflect upon a new strategy I've learned and try to find ways

to integrate it into my classroom activities.

It is the evenings I spend at neighborhood meetings or functions that prove to the

community that I, as their child's teacher have not only their child's educational interests

close to my heart, but I'm interested in and care about the quality of the neighborhoods

from which they come.

The vocation of educating the work force of tomorrow is indeed an important task

which I do not accept lightly. As teachers we must be willing to serve the community

outside of our classroom walls and beyond the regular school hours to produce the superior

product our communities have every right to demand.

VI. Philosophy of Teaching

My philosophy of teaching has always been to instruct my students in an

atmosphere of mutual respect. I believeall students have the potential to learn. It is my

responsibility as an educator to build their self-esteem, insist upon positive attitudes

toward their peers, hold high expectations for their success and model the behavior I

expect from them. Hopefully because of the climate in my classroom, these children can

someday take responsibility for their choices and actions.

Building self-esteem is the way I motivate my little ones to keep trying. I want

them to understand their successes are their own. They need to hold those successes

close and realize the value of the work they put in to get where they are. I want them to

feel good about the goals they are personally mastering and know making mistakes is a key

component of learning and future successes.

Because I'm the teacher, I believe I must maintain a positive attitude at all times in

my classroom. I find this to be one of the hardest challenges I face each day. I want my

students to be able to maintain a positive attitude throughout the day as well. I strive to

use praise, encouragement, and affirmations daily, so each of my students feels a sense of

how special they are.

To me holding high expectations means I believe in my students. I truly want to

help them reach their potential. I let them know on a daily basis I love them, I believe in

them, and I care about them. My kids know those high expectations mean I require they

give me their best each and every day.

Respect is a high priority in my classroom, and respecting each other applies to

everyone. The respect I ask from them is no different from the respect I show to them

and others in my life. No 'put downs' are allowed in my class; only the celebration of

applause as we rejoice at each other's accomplishments.

Finally, from day one I model the behaviors and attitudes acceptable in our

classroom. I want all of my students to understand their choices determine the

consequences they receive. Because our classroom is a safe environment, all students can

participate without being afraid they will say or do something inappropriate.

The greatest reward I receive from my style of teaching is watching the progress

and the success of my students throughout the year. Each year I wonder, "How will I get

these students where they need to be by May". Each year my rewards come with not only

their academic accomplishments, but how their behavior has improved as well. They no

longer fight over blocks, rush to be first out the door, or fight for my attention. In May

as I send them home, I reflect on their newly found leadership qualities, their

understanding for others and their love of kindergarten which makes each of them a true

joy to be around.

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VII. Educational Issues and Trends

I believe a major issue in public education today is the lack of teacher

empowerment and respect. So often teachers are criticized and blamed for the negative

behavior of students. This constant blame has led to a lack of respect toward the entire

teaching profession.

Another major issue is violence in the schools. Parents, educators, and students

have concerns over this growing issue. As educators, we want to feel safe in our workplace

knowing that we are responsible for so many lives on a daily basis.

Finally, an issue of great concern to me is a growing lack of parental involvement in

the public education system. It has been my experience parental involvement in a child's

daily education helps keep students on the track to becoming successful learners. Parental

interest and encouragement help a student see the value and importance of their

education. Because I see many parents who are hesitant to become involved with their

child's life at school, I believe we, as teachers, need to try to understand the reasons for

this hesitancy on the parents' part to become involved. Perhaps one of the reasons for the

lack of parental involvement is the fast paced society of today. Parents seem to be

hurrying to complete their own responsibilities and commitments at work. Those who are

not working are often overwhelmed with the feelings of being inadequate providers for

their families and are struggling daily to keep their families slightly above the poverty line.

With this abundance of concern for basic needs, there seems to be little time remaining

for involvement in their child's daily academic activities. As a teacher, I try to

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communicate to my parents my willingness to have them involved in our classroom. I want

them to know they are welcome to volunteer, giving as little or as much time as they can. I

also want them to know how important it is for them to be involved with their child in a

concerned and supportive way.

As an educator I know the importance of having parental support and truly

appreciate the support I receive from home. I will continue to make it a priority to have

open communication with the parents of my students. Parental encouragement andf.

participation are key elements to a child's academic success. It is true the parents are a

child's first teachers, and as educators we must encourage them to become involved and

partner with us by making education a priority at home.

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VIII. The Teaching Profession

I believe I strengthen and improve the teaching profession in several ways. Most

importantly is my dedication to the district, the faculty at Katy Elementary, and the

students who I work with. I strive to understand and to meet the requirements expected

of me every day. Because I am open to new academic challenges, an ever changing

curriculum, a variety of techniques and methods of assessment, I consider myself an asset

to my profession.

Secondly, I have a true love for my profession which is reflected in my daily

interaction with my students. I take responsibility for the personal growth of my every

one of them, not only academically but socially. I believe it is important to listen to

parents and students. Often after really listening, I adjust my thoughts and attitudes in

order to be a true advocate for everyone's needs.

I believe I strengthen my profession by giving my best every day as an educator, a

mother, a nurse, and a counselor to my students. I strive to be a creative and passionate

educator by holding myself accountable for promoting creativity in my students, coaching

them through the learning process, and instilling a joy and passion for learning in their

hearts. My dedication, my love of teaching and giving my best each day has enabled me to

be successful throughout my career and produce successful learners.

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