Dear Dr. Brunick and Dr. Browder
I am seeking clarification on how the Golden apple is measured; by nominations (numbers)?
If it is by nominations it seems slighted that a teacher like Ms. Kimberly Cross, who by the way is AMAZING, would never seem likely to get on this prestigious awards list. Maybe some honorable mentions.. She is a special teacher with qualities only moms like me understand. You see she makes systemic changes that no one sees as 'her' doing? My son is a prime example of her ABILITY to change the future of a school and a district who will deal with my son for his educational lifetime. Ms Cross took a student who would elope a classroom up to 27 times a day, would spit, kick, hit, pinch and terrorize a classroom... not your shining gen ed student. I want him in Gen Ed.. I called a meeting, selected with the help of personal at Skyline, Ms. Kimberly Cross to help.. SHE HAD NO IDEA WHAT SHE WAS INVITED FOR. She had never taught a developmentally challenged child, she didn't flinch when I asked her to 'try.' With behaviors so out of control it seemed to be the focus, she is specialized in SB. You see my son is a visual learner and over his time in elementary school several blunders happened which feed into his behaviors going from bad to worse. The schools were being taxed with the influx of students and not enough schools, not enough classrooms and not near enough staff $$$$. He learned in the first weeks of Pre-K escaping the room meant time on the playground until someone noticed or could get back up to get him... He learned all kinds of attention getting techniques... and being a visual learner he was in classrooms full of the most talented misconduct students and teachers who were dumping grounds due to the overwhelmed system.
So with that visual one can get a good idea what a handful my son was at school and home. I would never give up... Ms Cross met my passion within my son and had the same vision. She saw his ABILITIES and had not one reserve in taking on the journey. She used many methods to find the match/fix... she had his eloping squashed within a week and from there has worked diligently for a year and a half to have him sitting successfully in a first grade classroom with his peers this year being as amazing as her works shows through him... SOMETHING I WASN'T SURE WOULD REALLY HAPPEN... My heart has so much appreciation for what she has done; not to provide a quality classroom/course for learning for a year in the life of a child but the ability to teach my child a lifetime of skills which will allow him a better 'life' because of her teaching him to be a quality person... She saw a boy with abilities untapped and she sparked those abilities for him to grow... A golden apple doesn't seen enough..She deserves the tree because that is what she provided for him... the fruits of being able to be educated in a setting among his peers... She is your true golden apple teacher if only this one mom turns in the form..You needed to know.
Mary
Jordan's mom
