Family Academy® 2002-2003 Teacher of the Year

Maggie Dail is the recipient of the 2002-2003 Teacher of the Year award for her commitment to fulfill the vision of Family Academy®.

Maggie has been a teacher consultant affiliated with Family Academy® for nine years. During this time she has modeled the vision of the organization through her professional and spiritual maturity, willingly helping with the organizational goals and volunteering to assist with special projects. Through the years, Maggie has demonstrated academic and professional excellence by continuing her education. Currently, she is training in the area of neurodevelopment and is an associate member of the International Christian Association of Neurodevelopmentalists.

In addition to her responsibilities as a teacher consultant, Maggie works alongside her husband, Ronnie, selling and distributing Christian books and resources through their bookstore, Amazing Grace Books. Maggie exemplifies the Family Academy® vision of impacting our community through her volunteer work with Pierce County Crisis Pregnancy Center. She has also been a foster care provider to two children and is currently involved in the education of one of those children. Maggie is truly a Godly woman who exceeds expectations in all areas of her personal and professional life.

Family Academy® 2002-2003 Teacher of Academic Excellence

In recognition of consistent, outstanding academic performance by her students the Board of Family Academy® honored Kathryn Williamson as the 2002-2003 Teacher of Academic Excellence. This award is presented each year to a teacher who has demonstrated an ability to encourage and inspire her students to demonstrate academic excellence.

What makes Kathryn a teacher who inspires her students to reach for high goals?

In talking with a few of her past and present students, her personal involvement with each individual student stands out readily. She spends the necessary time getting to know each student on a personal level, both inside and outside of class. Her ability to find out each student's strengths and weaknesses helps her to encourage each to press on and improve in all areas. Kathryn always has something positive to say about her student's work, while giving them plenty of feedback in order to push the quality of their work up one more notch. Every student knows that she grades fairly, thus there is no fear of failure if her students have done their best work. She also accepts criticism and debate from her students with great patience and understanding, therefore earning their respect and appreciation. Most of all, she looks at each student as an individual and holds each to their own highest standard without comparing them to anyone else. When one falls below that standard, she cares enough to find out why they fell and what she can do to help them achieve their goals.

Other qualities of KathrynÕs valued by her students, include her fun sense of humor, her flexibility, and her willingness to answer their questions. Most of all, her studentsÕ see that she practices the habits she strives to instill in themÑorganization and preparedness. Her students agree that she rarely assigns busywork; instead, each assignment possesses a unique purpose and helps them practice their newly acquired skills or knowledge.

KathrynÕs own enthusiasm for learning and teaching clearly sparks the initiative of her students, and many choose to take the resulting flame and run for the highest goal they can achieve.