Hilbish Teacher of the Month: Lisa Strahan - KCS, Feb. 2020

Congratulations to the Hilbish Teacher of the Month for Kannapolis City Schools, Ms. Lisa Strahan! 

"Lisa Strahan is an exceptional children’s teacher at Woodrow Wilson Elementary. She is an extraordinary teacher who brings love, kindness, and skill to the classroom and makes a positive difference for her students and her colleagues. The parent who nominated Ms. Strahan said that students are excited to come to her classroom because of the fun and interesting way that she meets each one of her student’s needs. The parent also praised Ms. Strahan’s loving personality and her vast knowledge and experience. The nomination said that Ms. Strahan is quick to help other staff members with advice and strategies they can use with struggling students in their classrooms, and that helps everyone in the school.

Lisa Strahan is the kind of teacher that every parent dreams of having for his or her child, and we’re proud that she is part of our KCS family. We’re also delighted that Hilbish Ford honored her excellence with the Hilbish Ford Outstanding Teacher Award for February. Congratulations!"

Read the original article by Kannapolis City Schools.

Click here to nominate an outstanding KCS teacher for this award.

Stephanie Jordan Earns Hilbish Teacher of the Month Award for January 2020

Congratulations to the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month for Kannapolis City Schools, Ms. Stephanie Jordan!

“Stephanie Jordan epitomizes what it truly means to teach.”

That is not only a powerful statement but also the first line of the nomination we received to recognize Stephanie as the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month.

Ms. Jordan is an extraordinary first grade teacher at G.W. Carver Elementary School. Her nomination went on to describe her dedication, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. It also praised her incredible caring and compassion. The parent who nominated her said that Ms. Jordan creates engaging lessons and an active learning environment for her students. It also said, “She meets the needs of each student with a warm smile, huge heart, and with love, compassion, and a nurturing approach toward student achievement.”

That is an incredible testimonial for a phenomenal teacher, and we’re proud that Stephanie Jordan is part of our KCS family. We’re also delighted that Hilbish Ford is honoring her excellence with the Hilbish Ford Outstanding Teacher Award for January. Congratulations!

Click here to read the original article by Kannapolis City Schools.

Nominate an outstanding KCS teacher by clicking here!

Tammy Currie Wins Hilbish Teacher of the Month Award - December 2019

Congratulations to Tammy Currie for earning the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month Award for December 2019

"Tammy Currie is an amazing third grade teacher at Jackson Park Elementary. She not only is a remarkable educator for her students but also a shining example of how to cultivate parent involvement. The parent who nominated Ms. Currie praised her ability to keep all parents informed about what is happening in her classroom as well as at Jackson Park. The parent said that Ms. Currie is always available to answer questions and lets her know on a regular basis how her child is doing. She also said that Ms. Currie is extraordinary in dealing with students. The parent said that when her daughter had an incident with another student in the class, Ms. Currie handled perfectly. She said Ms. Currie responded in a way that did not disrupt either child’s learning. In the words of the parent, “Ms. Currie wants to see her students not only as good students but as good people.” She also said that Ms. Currie has helped to make this a fantastic school year!

We’re proud that Tammy Currie is part of our KCS family and delighted that Tim Vaughn of Hilbish Ford honored her excellence with the Hilbish Ford Outstanding Teacher Award for December. Congratulations!"

Click here for the original story by Kannapolis City Schools.

Nominate an outstanding KCS teacher for this award here.

Kannapolis City Schools Teacher of the Month - November 2019

“Michelle Connell is an amazing teacher!” That’s the first line of the nomination recommending Ms. Connell for the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month Award. Ms. Connell teaches 5th grade at G.W. Carver Elementary School.

The parent who nominated Ms. Connell went on to say that her son has high functioning autism as well as ADHD. She said Ms. Connell had been wonderful with her son as well as all of the children in the classroom. The parent explained that her son’s autism and ADHD can make for some rough days but that Ms. Connell always finds ways to keep him on task and pushing to succeed. In the words of the parent, “Ms. Connell has her own unique way of teaching students and making learning fun. She deserves this award because she is the kind of teacher every parent would want for their child.”

We completely agree, and we’re proud that Michelle Connell is part of our KCS family. We’re also delighted that Hilbish Ford is honoring her excellence with the Hilbish Ford Outstanding Teacher Award for November. Congratulations!

Click here to nominate an outstanding Teacher of the Month from Kannapolis City Schools!

Read the original article by Kannapolis City Schools here.

Vanessa Arellano Earns Hilbish Teacher of the Month Award for Kannapolis City Schools!

Vanessa Arellano is a very special teacher at Fred L. Wilson Elementary. She was the school’s very first foreign language teacher, and she’s changing lives in profound ways. She came to Fred L. Wilson from Lima, Peru and helped to make Kannapolis City Schools’ Spanish Language Immersion program a reality.

The parents who nominated Ms. Arellano said that she has helped to bring a world of diversity to her students. They praised her ability to give students a great foundation for learning not only a new language but also a new culture. They love the thoughtful instruction Ms. Arellano brings to the classroom and the way she combines her curriculum with incredible caring. In their words, “She truly loves her students and families and supports her students in every possible way.”

We’re very proud that Vanessa Arellano has come to Kannapolis to be part of our KCS family, and we’re delighted that Hilbish Ford has honored her excellence with the Hilbish Ford Outstanding Teacher Award for October. Congratulations!

Click here to nominate an outstanding KCS teacher for the Hilbish Teacher of the Month Award.

View the original article by KCS here.

Tara Copeland Recognized as KCS Teacher of the Month for September 2019

Congratulations to the September Teacher of the Month for Kannapolis City Schools, Tara Copeland!

Tara Copeland is an amazing Pre-K teacher at Woodrow Wilson Elementary. She is also one of the rare teachers who has received multiple nominations from parents and students to be the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month.

Ms. Copeland makes a lasting impact not only on her students but also on their parents. One parent that nominated Ms. Copeland has had two children come through her classroom. She said, “Mrs. Copeland is an amazing person and a wonderful teacher. She loves her job and treats each one of her students as if they were her own. She puts her all into making sure her students are successful, and both of my children love her.” Another parent sent in a nomination on behalf of her son who is now five years old but still remembers Mrs. Copeland fondly. The parent wrote in her son’s words: “Mrs. Copeland was super fun when I was in pre-K and helped me learn things to make me smart. She always made me laugh, but she still won’t eat sushi!”

That pretty much sums up the life of an A-1, super-fantastic pre-school teacher, and we’re extremely proud that Tara Copeland is part of our KCS family. We are delighted that Tim Vaughn of Hilbish Ford has honored her excellence with the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month Award. Congratulations!

Click here to view the original article by Kannapolis City Schools.

Nominate an outstanding KCS teacher by clicking here.

Celeste Kirkman Earns Hilbish Teacher of the Month Award for KCS

Congratulations to Ms. Celeste Kirkman for earning the Hilbish Teacher of the Month Award for Kannapolis City Schools!

KCS shared: "Celeste Kirkman teaches special needs students at A.L. Brown High School, and she has made a wonderful, positive, and lasting impact on her students. The parent that nominated Ms. Kirkman wrote about his daughter’s remarkable transformation thanks to Ms. Kirkman’s amazing influence. The parent wrote that his daughter’s middle school years were very difficult but that it all changed when she started at A.L. Brown and had Ms. Kirkman. The father said in his nomination, “Catherine has received straight A's since starting high school. She loves getting up and wanting to go to school. She loves Ms. Kirkman, and every night when she does her prayers, she says her name. Catherine has really excelled this school year, and I truly feel it is because of her teacher. I even get progress notes every day in Catherine's backpack. For her first year, Ms. Kirkman has made a big difference with my daughter, and I will always be indebted to her for what she has done for my Catherine.”

That is a wonderful tribute to Ms. Kirkman, and it shows why public education is so special. We are extremely proud that Celeste Kirkman is part of our KCS family, and we’re delighted that Hilbish Ford and General Manager, Tim Vaughn, are honoring her excellence with the Hilbish Ford Outstanding Teacher Award for June. Congratulations"

Click here for the original article by KCS.