| From the Department of Public Instruction Educators from schools in Madison and De Forest received 2004
Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards in surprise
all-school assemblies Tuesday (October 12, 2004). In addition
to the recognition at their school, each Milken educator will
receive a $25,000 award that can be used in any way they choose.
Recipients are
- Andreal Davis, a Title I reading teacher at Lincoln Elementary
School in Madison.
- Lisa Skeway, a 1st-grade teacher at Yahara Elementary School
in De Forest.
The educators were selected without their knowledge by a blue-ribbon
panel facilitated by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. “It is a great privilege to present the Milken National
Educator Awards, the largest teacher recognition program in the
United States, and to reward exceptional educational talent,”
said State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster. “These teachers
are outstanding in their classrooms and are leaders in their schools.
They are individuals that we need to hold up at a national level
as being exactly what good teachers should be.” Burmaster also commended the Milken National Educator Award Program
for acknowledging the tremendous contribution that educators make
to their students, and for the potential the program has to inspire
young people to consider education as a career. “Research
repeatedly shows that the single most important factor in student
achievement is the quality of the teacher in the classroom, so
attracting dedicated young people to the profession is vital to
Wisconsin’s mission to close the achievement gap and ensure
success for every student,” Burmaster added. The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards were created
to reward, retain, and attract the highest caliber professionals
to our nation’s schools. Recipients of the Milken Educator
Awards are selected on the basis of numerous criteria, including
exceptional educational talent as demonstrated by outstanding
instructional practices in the classroom, school, and profession;
outstanding accomplishment and strong long-range potential for
professional and policy leadership; and an engaging and inspiring
presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues, and
the community. The recipients will receive their $25,000 awards at the Milken
Family Foundation National Education Conference, an all-expense-paid
professional development conference to be held in April 2005 in
Washington, D.C. The educators also are invited to join the Milken
Educator Network, a coalition of top educators who have access
to a variety of expert resources to help cultivate and expand
innovative programs in their classrooms, schools, and districts.
For more information, visit the Milken
Family Foundation Web site. Posted October 13, 2004 |