Teachers in the news

The National Secondary Teacher of the Year award was given to Dale Kephart by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, a non-profit organization of more than 25,000 professionals in the fitness and physical activity fields.

Kephart has taught in the Anchorage School District since 1981, and has been at Dimond High School for the last four years.

Prior to her teaching and coaching career, she was a world-class gymnast. In 1962, Kephart was the National Women’s Gymnastics Champion. She was a member of the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team and competed in the World Championships (1962, 1966), the Pan-American Games (1963), and the Olympics (1964). Following her competitive career, Kephart coached and judged at the Olympic level through the 1980s.

The Anchorage School District’s five nominees for the Alaska Teacher of the Year 2001 award are: Rebecca Clement, first grade, Bowman Elementary School; Mark Lyke, high school science, Polaris K-12 School; Koko Mikel, fourth grade Japanese Immersion, Sand Lake Elementary School; Robert Moser, chemistry, Bartlett High School; and Mike Woods, natural resources, King Career Center. These teachers were unanimously chosen by a committee of representatives from the Anchorage Education Association, Anchorage Principals’ Association, Anchorage Council of PTAs, Chamber of Commerce and Student Advisory Board.

Colleen Stevens, principal at Kasuun Elementary, received the Alaska Distinguished Principals Award. Bear Valley Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Jody Solmonson was one of 16 teachers and four teaching teams nationwide selected as one of USA Today’s Teacher First Team.

Mears Middle School principal Georgia Taton was selected as the Administrator of the Year by the Alaska Society for Technology in Education (ASTE). Sharon Bandle was also an ASTE winner. She received the President’s Award. This honor is given to an individual who has done an exemplary job advancing instructional uses of technology in Alaskan schools.

Goldenview Elementary librarian Linda Masterson has been named 2000 Alaskan School Librarian of the Year by the Alaska Association of School Librarians. Margot Pomar, bilingual tutor at Central Middle School of Science has been selected as the "Educator of the Year" by the Alaska Association of Bilingual Educators.

Bill Ennis, East High School physics teacher, won a Milken Family Foundation National Educator award. In addition to national recognition, Ennis will receive a $25,000 cash prize.

©2000 Anchorage Daily News