Courtney Ryczek Earns Hilbish Ford Outstanding Teacher Award

Earlier this month, the Teacher of the Month Award for Kannapolis City Schools was awarded to Courtney Ryczek of Forest Park Elementary!

Kannapolis City Schools shared: 

"Courtney Ryczek is an amazing and versatile 5th grade teacher at Forest Park Elementary. Until recently, Mrs. Ryczek taught second grade at Forest Park. Her nomination came from a parent whose son had her in second grade. The parent said Ms. Ryczek made an incredible difference in her son’s life. According to the parent, her son left first grade without a love for school. However, they enrolled him at Forest Park, and her son had Ms. Ryczek in second grade. The parent said that with Ms. Ryczek, her son started to love school and learning. He never wanted to miss school because he would miss his teacher. She said that Ms. Ryczek stimulated her son’s heart and his brain, and he is now thriving in third grade. In her words, “Because of Ms. Ryczek’s authentic love for her students, our son’s educational track was changed. We will always be grateful for Ms. Ryczek!”

We’re extremely proud that Courtney Ryczek is part of our KCS family, and we’re delighted that Hilbish Ford has honored her with the Hilbish Ford Outstanding Teacher Award for January. Congratulations!"

Click here to nominate the next outstanding Teacher of the Month for Kannapolis City Schools!

Emanuel Gonzalez Honored as Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month - December 2018

Congratulations to Emanuel Gonzalez for earning the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month for Kannapolis City Schools in December 2018!

Kannapolis City Schools shared this message about Emanuel: 

"Emanuel Gonzalez teaches math at A.L. Brown High School. He is the kind of teacher that all parents want their children to have. The parent who nominated Mr. Gonzalez praised him for helping her son after an injury caused her son to miss two days of school. She said that not only did Mr. Gonzalez make sure the make-up work was delivered but he also included a get well card, a smiling photo of himself holding the make-up work folder, plus several tickets that he gives to students as encouragement or rewards. On another occasion, her son used the “Remind” app to contact Mr. Gonzalez with a question about homework. Mr. Gonzalez responded immediately. The parent said Mr. Gonzalez has an amazing teaching style that goes beyond expectations to meet all of his students’ needs. His lessons are exciting, engaging and help his students not only learn high school math but also remember and internalize it. The parent put it this way: “Students love Mr. Gonzalez and students learn from Mr. Gonzalez. He certainly deserves to be the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month!”

We agree, and we’re extremely proud that Emanuel Gonzalez is part of our KCS family. We’re delighted that Hilbish Ford has honored him with the Hilbish Award for December. Congratulations!"

Click here to nominate the next teacher of the month for Kannapolis City Schools.

Read original article by KCS here.

Brittany Banks of G.W. Carver Elementary Earns Hilbish Teacher Award

Congratulations to Brittany Banks for earning the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month Award for November 2018!

Kannapolis City Schools shared: "Brittany Banks is an amazing kindergarten teacher at G.W. Carver Elementary School. She is a master educator whose talent truly stands out. In 2016, Ms. Banks was named Kannapolis City Schools’ Teacher of the Year when she was part of the Shady Brook staff. Now, she has moved to G.W. Carver, where a new set of parents can experience her excellence and passion for teaching.

Ms. Banks is the first teacher from G.W. Carver to win the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month Award. The parent who nominated Ms. Banks complimented her enthusiasm, sensitivity to students’ needs, and her warmness towards the children in her classroom. The mom said, “Ms. Banks has made my daughter’s first year incredible, and my daughter loves to go to school every day!”

Having that kind of impact on children and building such a deep love of learning is why Brittany Banks is such a special teacher. We’re extremely proud that Brittany is part of our KCS family, and we’re delighted that Tim Vaughn of Hilbish Ford has honored her excellence with the Outstanding Teacher of the Month Award for November. Congratulations!"

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

Jill Trexler Earns Hilbish Teacher of the Month Award for KCS

Congrulations to Jill Trexler for earning the October Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month Award for
Kannapolis City Schools! 

"Jill Trexler is an amazing first grade teacher at Shady Brook Elementary. She is among a select group of Hilbish Award winners who received multiple nominations from parents. All the nominations glowed with praise for Ms. Trexler’s caring, dedication, positive attitude, and the way she inspires children.

One parent called Ms. Trexler “a shining light to all her students.” The parent said, “Ms. Trexler is patient and loving and treats my son like her own. She has made first grade an amazing year, and we are beyond grateful for her dedication and passion.” Another parent said that Ms. Trexler made her daughter, who was new to the school, feel extremely welcome. She also praised Ms. Trexler for being so responsive to questions. Yet another parent had two children who both had Ms. Trexler. Her nomination said, “Ms. Trexler always has a smile and makes the students feel loved and appreciated. Everyone I talk with always has something good to say about her. The compliments I hear about Ms. Trexler are awesome. She is truly an inspiration and a remarkable teacher.”

This is the kind of dedication, caring, and influence that makes public education special. We’re proud that Jill Trexler is part of our KCS family, and we’re delighted that Hilbish Ford has honored her excellence with the Outstanding Teacher Award for October. Congratulations!"

Click here to nominate the next Teacher of the Month for KCS. 

Read the original message from KCS here. 

Hilbish Ford Presents the First KCS Teacher of the Month Award for the 2018-19 School Year

Congratulations to Milton Matheny for receiving the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month Award for Kannapolis City Schools!

KCS shared, "Milton Matheny is an outstanding teacher and coach at Kannapolis Middle School. He is also an A.L. Brown graduate and a wonderful part of KCS. Mr. Matheny’s amazing influence can be felt not only at KMS but also in the community. The parent that nominated Mr. Matheny called him a great role model and an inspiration to his students. The parent said Mr. Matheny always has a positive attitude and encourages his students to persevere—even when the material is challenging. She also said Mr. Matheny inspires his students outside of the classroom. Her son is on the KMS Cross Country Team, which Mr. Matheny coaches. She said Mr. Matheny has motivated her son to become a better student and a better runner. Even more importantly, she said, he has given her son the motivation to become a better person.

This is the kind of extraordinary influence that makes public education special. We’re proud that Milton Matheny is part of our KCS family, and we’re delighted that Tim Vaughn of Hilbish Ford has honored his excellence with the Hilbish Award for September. Congratulations!"

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

Kelly Woodard Wins Hilbish Teacher of the Month Award

Congratulations to the Hilbish Teacher of the Month for Kannapolis City Schools, Kelly Woodard! 

Kannapolis City Schools shared this message:

Kelly Woodard is a phenomenal second grade teacher at Jackson Park Elementary School. She’s the kind of teacher that children remember for a lifetime. The parent that nominated Ms. Woodard gave her glowing praise.

“Mrs. Woodard is one of those people who was absolutely born to teach. She has surpassed any and all expectations I had this year for my child's teacher. She makes the conscious effort to keep learning fun and to allow the students in her class to use their imagination and be creative as much as possible. She takes the time to find out what works for each student and to facilitate an environment that makes this possible. I'm sure she spends countless hours outside of school planning for her kids and coming up with the best ways to get each child to reach their potential. She is always there to answer any questions I might have and makes herself available for anything needed. Her warm smile and positive personality make her so approachable and enjoyable to be around. Her love for teaching shows in the way that she talks to her students and in the way that they know they can reach out to her if they need anything. She truly knows her students and nurtures them as well as teaches them. Thanks to Mrs. Woodard I know that my child is being cared for in every way possible when she is at school, and as a parent this means the world to me. Teachers like Mrs. Woodard deserve to be recognized for the countless efforts they put in every day to give their students the very best, and the very best is what she gives!”

This is the kind of extraordinary influence that makes public education special. We’re proud that Kelly Woodard is part of our KCS family, and we’re delighted that Tim Vaughn of Hilbish Ford honored his excellence with the Hilbish Award for June. Congratulations!

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

Matthew Plummer Wins Teacher of the Month Award for Kannapolis City Schools

Congratulations to the Hilbish Teacher of the Month for Kannapolis City Schools, Matthew Plummer! 

KCS shared the following message:

Our educators impact the lives of so many of students - even ones that aren’t inside their classrooms.

Matthew Plummer is a Student Mentor and Instructional Support educator at A.L. Brown. He serves students with developmental disabilities, but his nomination comes because of the impact he had on an A.L. Brown student after a chance encounter in the community.

The parent that nominated Mr. Plummer said that she and her son ran into Mr. Plummer last year. After talking for a while, Mr. Plummer invited the student to come to his classroom for extra help. Her son had always struggled in school, but after he started going to Mr. Plummer, everything changed. He saw how much Mr. Plummer cared about him and realized he could ask him about school or life without being judged. She says her son now sees Mr. Plummer’s classroom as a place where he can do homework, study, or just talk about things that are bothering him. She believes Mr. Plummer has helped make her son’s high school experience a positive one and has made a big difference in her son’s life.

This is the kind of extraordinary influence that makes public education special. We’re proud that Matt Plummer is part of our KCS family, and we’re delighted that Tim Vaughn of Hilbish Ford honored his excellence with the Hilbish Award for May. Congratulations!

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

View original article here.