1998 Milken National Educator Award Recipients

Jan Barron

Jan Barron is widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable vision teachers in the state. Ms. Barron established the district's original vision program and was a member of the committee that developed the state's first Braille competency test for teachers of the visually impaired. She uses her expertise in vision technology to adapt standard software programs to enable visually impaired students to receive the same classroom information as sighted students. A member of several committees on education and vision, Ms. Barron served for two years as president of the Colorado Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Cristina Gammill

Principal Cristina Gammill's innovations promote a learning community culture. Mrs. Gammill instituted a Student Review Team comprised of parents, teachers and administrators who evaluate students with academic difficulties before recommending special education or alternative interventions. She has reduced discipline referrals through two positive behavior programs: Courtesy Counts, which rewards students for being good citizens, and the Peace Patrol, a group of specially-trained students who serve as peer mediators during lunchtime. Mrs. Gammill's visiting speaker program encourages long-term educational goal-setting by giving children the chance to meet community leaders.

Charice Lartigue

Charice Lartigue's students consistently achieve the highest standardized test scores in the school. This is due in part to Mrs. Lartigue's innovative teaching strategies, including manipulatives, writing portfolios and creative book reports. She empowers students with a sense of ownership in their education by having them lead parent-teacher conferences and invite guest speakers to the school. Mrs. Lartigue provided students with an opportunity to take a role in designing and planning the landscaping for the school's new environmentally safe outdoor amphitheater, of which she was a driving force in creating. She is a member of the Eisenhower Project Connect team, with whom she develops the district's math and science curriculum and assessments.

Nancy Stapp

Nancy Stapp helps her sixth-graders bridge the transition into secondary school. Her "I Can Manage Myself" program teaches students to set goals and chart their own progress, thus developing self-direction, responsibility and personal accountability. Mrs. Stapp familiarizes students with technology, which they use to conduct research, produce multimedia presentations, publish a school newspaper, and participate in the National Geographic Kids Network. She teaches politics and civics with a mock election and her Ameritown unit, in which students run an imaginary town for a day. Mrs. Stapp is co-coordinator of the district's Outdoor Education Lab School, and week-long residential program for the district's sixth-grade classes.

For additional information about this program please contact Lynn Bamberry at: bamberry_l@cde.state.co.us.