Congratulations to Kendra Gorton, Kaley Dickinson, and Laura Taylor for being recognized as our Unified Arts employees of the month!
Laura Taylor at MHS
She is a fantastic Spanish teacher and advocate for her students.
Laura is an amazing teacher. She has had both my kids and not only teaches Spanish but relates and connects to them as people. She is a fierce advocate for them not only in the classroom but also well after they might be completed with foreign language. She provides reference letters and visits with students even if she's not their teacher. She keeps in contact with countless MHS alumni. She attends sports and fine arts and spirit nights to support our school community. The latest musical included a small Spanish section... partially because of señora's impact on our student community and Spanish learners.
Laura is an amazing teacher, and not just of Spanish. She has truly embodied the idea of instilling "lifelong learning". She connects with students from every walk of life and demonstrates what it means to "walk the walk". She is so kind and loving to all students, especially the most vulnerable, makes them feel truly welcome and has a lasting impact on them. She truly is an amazing teacher in and out of the classroom.
Laura's tireless dedication to her students and the greater MTSD community has been evident since the day I met her. She goes above and beyond to advocate for her students' needs and wellbeing with compassion, persistence, and professionalism. She is also a supportive colleague and invaluable team member. I am thankful for her friendship and guidance, which have made MHS an even more welcoming community.
It is with great enthusiasm that I nominate Laura Taylor for recognition as an exceptional World Language educator. Senora Taylor exemplifies the highest standards of professional excellence, cultural leadership, and instructional guidance. Her commitment to fostering meaningful language acquisition goes far beyond teaching vocabulary and grammar, she cultivates a deeper appreciation for the Spanish-speaking world and inspires her students to expand their connection to global relationships. Furthermore, her dedication to extracurricular activities such as her position as a Rotary Interact advisor expands far beyond anyone who has ever supported this role and she just started this year. She is a teacher that well supports her students in every aspect. She chooses to be there for as many events as she can to support her students' passions. What truly sets Laura Taylor apart is her unwavering dedication to her students’ growth. She takes the time to understand each learner’s strengths and challenges, offering individualized guidance that helps them build confidence and achieve success. Her encouragement extends beyond the classroom; she is known for celebrating her students’ achievements, supporting extracurricular endeavors, and fostering a positive community that students carry with them long after the course ends. I truly feel as a student, prepared and equipped with tools to enter Spanish speaking countries and interact with native speakers in the language. And I truly believe it all stems from Senora’s belief in me as a student and dedication to my learning. The unwavering support and love she has shown me and other students/staff doesn’t go unnoticed. I strongly feel Senora is a teacher that deserves this honor. As she has dedicated so much of her time honoring us.
Kaley Dickinson at MMS
She is a great teacher, works well with students with special needs, and always helps out with decorating for the dances.
I have watched in awe as Kaley gave the students the tools and confidence to appreciate and love the art around them, as well as to inspire the students to grow in their confidence about their own art. She is absolutely a person with excellent relationships and a down to earth approach with students. Walking by the students' creations outside the art room is always inspiring and Kaley is responsible for that. Kaley has a huge understanding of art and its societal impact. She uses it to keep her teaching interesting and her students engaged. She also excels at colleagueship.
She has a way of connecting with kids through art and adapting her teaching to every single need of each and every classroom.
Kaley is a quiet leader. She inspires lovely and inclusive student artwork, and I notice that if students take down bulletin board displays during moments of dysregulation, the students don't touch the displayed artwork bulletin boards. That's a credit to Kaley's teachings. Her positive behavior system is a hit with students, she is calm yet firm, and she leads our MMS play set design each year with grace.
Kaley is a kind, gentle, inclusive, creative art teacher who engages students in a very thoughtful manner. The creations that the students complete under her guidance are incredible and powerful!! We are lucky to have Kaley as the MMS art teacher.
She is an awesome art teacher and the students love her!
Outstanding art teacher who leads with both warmth and professionalism. She's a treasure for our district.
Incredible art teacher, supportive to students, always finding creative ways for engaging her learners, and going above and beyond by leading students to create the set design for the MMS annual play.
Kaley is an amazing educator. She provides the most fun and engaging art projects for her students and manages any behaviors that arise like a champ. She puts so much thought into every activity and makes it accessible for all students. Not only does she teach her regular classes but she also provides incredible set pieces for the MMS play every year.
Kaley is a fantastic teacher! She cares so much about her students and working with them creatively. The projects that students create in her class are so well done and you can see their enthusiasm in the final product. Kaley is super patient and finds ways to connect with her students to allow them to succeed. Kaley is also a wonderful person to work with! She is helpful, kind, and always willing to answer any question.
Kaley is an amazing art teacher that goes above and beyond for our students. She pours so much time and energy into our MMS play every year on top of her regular art curriculum. Her units are fun, engaging, and give every student the opportunity to show their creativity. We love having Kaley here at MMS!
Kendra Gorton at MES
Kendra puts so much thought into every lesson. Her enthusiasm for STEAM is apparent and infectious. The students are having so much fun while using their imaginations and developing their engineering skills. Kendra teaches the valuable lesson of never giving up. Her encouragement allows the students to feel secure enough to say "that didn't work, but I'll try again."
Kendra is teaching STEAM and rocking it! She goes out of her way for her students to experience something they may not have been able to before. Her ideas for creating, her ability to connect her ideas to a lesson is relative to none. The first thing Kendra teaches her students is how to use failing or mistakes, to become a creative and persistent thinker,
She is such a great teacher and she loves our students!
*Groundbreaking Program Creation: She created an entire student program from the ground up, demonstrating incredible vision and initiative.
*Exceptional Resourcefulness: She secured grant money to fund this program, showcasing her ability to independently resource and support her vision.
*Effective and Engaging Educator: Her lessons are consistently hands-on, fun, and highly engaging. She maintains high expectations, encouraging students to achieve their potential.
*Community Expert: She is knowledgeable in her craft and possesses a deep understanding of our community, families, and system. This connection allows her to provide unparalleled support to every student. She is an amazing member of our MES and Milton community!
Kendra is a hard-working and dedicated teacher. She has created a brand new curriculum for our school's STEAM program that is engaging, challenging, and fun. She goes above and beyond on a regular basis to do what's best for kids!
Kendra goes above and beyond. She has created an amazing STEAM classroom where students are always engaged, happy and thriving. She finds alternative ways to engage with reluctant learners and communicates well with the classroom teachers.
Kendra has managed to create an engaging and fun STEAM class for all elementary students. All of the kiddos I talk to have been excited to go to her class and are eager to tell me what they made. She gets her students to problem solve, critically think, and gives them the space to be creative and collaborative. I am so impressed with her dedication and how much time she's spent developing her curriculum and organizing her space. Amazing work, Kendra!
Kendra is amazing. She is a local Milton teacher who always goes above and beyond for her students and colleagues. She was brave enough to switch roles in our district and build her program from the ground up. Commendable!
She makes class fun for the kiddos and she’s super kind!