News & Information

The Bellingham School District and its schools are recognizing the exemplary achievements and contributions of staff and volunteers through a new annual awards program. Students, staff or any community member could nominate staff and volunteers for the awards. Each school and Central Services had the opportunity to determine a process to select, according to criteria, a Certificated Staff Member of the Year, Classified Staff Member of the Year, Staff Team of the Year and Community Partner/Volunteer of the Year. From those award recipients, a district Recognition Committee of students, staff and community members reviewed nominations and selected the following individuals to represent the school district:

• 2008 Districtwide Certificated Staff Member of the Year: Terri McKee, music teacher at Roosevelt and Northern Heights Elementary Schools and districtwide music coordinator. McKee has worked for the district for 21 years. "Ms. McKee has strong instructional skills, is an excellent classroom manager and chooses lessons that are interesting and meaningful for her students. She always goes above and beyond expectations. She gives up her own time to lead the Roosevelt Choir annually and to direct the Roosevelt musical every other year. As a member of the Roosevelt Arts Team, Ms. McKee is helping craft a vision and design a program for increasing arts opportunities in our school. Ms. McKee truly reaches all of our kids. She brings music to life for our students, staff and parents," her nominators write. Sponsored by Barnes & Noble, McKee received a trophy, $100 Barnes & Noble gift certificate, flowers, chocolates, a flash drive and goodie bag during a surprise visit to her classroom on June 4.
• 2008 Districtwide Classified Staff Member of the Year: Judy Seymour, paraeducator in the English Language Learners (ELL) program at Alderwood Elementary School. Seymour has worked for the district for 14 years. "Judy is dedicated to providing her students with the best of instructional practices. She goes above and beyond. Over the years, she has developed strong relationships with the ELL students and their families. She takes time to get to know each of them on a personal level, and because of her genuine caring, those families are more engaged in their children's learning. Judy Seymour is a gift for our school and district," her nominators write. Sponsored by Sanitary Service Company, Seymour received a trophy, $100 gift certificate, flowers, chocolates, a flash drive and goodie bag during a surprise visit to her classroom on June 4.
• 2008 Team of the Year: Patty Hoff and Roxana Parise, homeless support coordinators at Central Services. Hoff has worked for the district for 11 years and Parise has served seven years. "Coordinating the needs of homeless students provides stability both at home and in the classroom, and gives students a real opportunity to succeed. As a team, Patty and Roxy coordinate services for these students within the district, such as transportation, school supplies, free/reduced lunch and special programs, as well as help families access community services such as shelter. These women go above and beyond to ensure that our students' well being is met with compassion, respect, humility and genuine concern. Their work to eliminate the barriers that would stall or inhibit a student's ability to learn is driven by servants' hearts that care about our children, their families and the opportunity to offer academic success for all children," their nominators write. Sponsored by Vid-Smith Digital Production in Bellingham, Hoff and Parise received a trophy, $100 in gift certificates, flowers, chocolates, flash drives and goodie bags during a surprise visit at Alderwood on June 4.
• 2008 Community Partner/Volunteer of the Year: Bruce Verkist, music program volunteer at Bellingham High School. "Bruce Verkist is a community member who has volunteered hundreds of hours with students in band programs at BHS and throughout our school district. He has an extensive tradition with Bellingham High School including time as a student, as a student teacher, collaborating with former band directors as a band teacher himself, and now giving back as a volunteer. He volunteers his time as a brass specialist and with band students during school hours, after school hours, during evening rehearsals, performances, weekend competition and even band tours. He is a true example of music uniting the success and achievement of an educational institution with its surrounding community," his nominators write. Sponsored by the Bellingham Public School Foundation, Verkist received a trophy, $100 gift certificate to the Bellingham Festival of Music, chocolates, flash drive and goodie bag during a surprise visit at a BHS jazz band rehearsal on June 5.

"This award represents the incredible work and dedication of all of our staff," said Terri McKee, holding up her trophy. Teams of School Board members, district and school administrators, staff, students, award sponsors, Bellingham Education Association (BEA), BASE representatives and Recognition committee members surprised the districtwide award recipients. A video featuring these recipients and others will be viewed at the Aug. 28 Back-to-School Breakfast and Annual Kick-off Celebration for all staff when all 2008 annual award winners will be honored. They are: