Carolyn
S. Dusenbury is a 25-year veteran teacher who has dedicated
all of those years to VBCPS. She has taught English at Tallwood High
School for 15 years and also serves as department chair. Last school
year Dusenbury was the guiding force behind a special All School Reads
program in which the entire school community read The Color of Water by James McBride. A culminating activity was a book discussion held
at Barnes and Noble in April. Dusenbury holds National Board certification
and is the only VBCPS reader for College Board English language tests.
She is also a consultant for College Board conducting Holistic Scoring
workshops across the nation. According to her principal Jobynia Caldwell,
“Carolyn Dusenbury truly believes that all children can learn;
she exemplifies that great teachers have the will and skills to teach
all children.”
Camille G. Grabbe, a reading specialist for grades 2-5 at Old Donation Center (ODC) has 27 years of experience in education, with 22 of those years spent with VBCPS. She is a champion for literacy and tirelessly works to promote reading and writing with students as well as with colleagues and other aspiring teachers. She is a sought-after presenter and most recently gave a presentation – Encouraging and Challenging Talented Readers – at the International Reading Association conference in Atlanta. Grabbe sees her greatest contribution to education being that of “advocating for children for whom school is not a ‘perfect fit’.” As she explains it, it is up to the teacher to figure out why students are not performing in school and then develop solutions and strategies to help. As Grabbe points out, “all children have gifts.” We simply must find out what those gifts are and teach to their strengths. ODC principal Gloria Harris says the following about Camille Grabbe: Mrs. Grabb is a compassionate advocate for all children who is knowledgeable, innovative, resourceful, and determined that all children will reach their full potential."
Keitha S. Havey is a reading specialist for grades K-5 at New Castle Elementary School. A veteran educator of 34 years, she has been with VBCPS for 21 years. Havey’s career in education has been “characterized by service to students and teachers, continuing professional growth, and a passion for fostering literacy in young children.” She has earned teacher of the year honors from her school(s) on three separate occasions and was also named the Citywide Reading Teacher of the Year in 2005. Havey often presents nationally and is an adjunct faculty member at Regent University. Her fundamental belief is that it is the “ultimate goal of education to cultivate independent, self-reliant learners.” To this end, Havey works to assist her students in discovering their own individual strengths by creating a learning environment based on mutual respect and acceptance. Her former principal Janet Duff pointed out that “Keitha Havey has a passion for literacy. She helps students become readers, trains teachers in the skills and strategies of reading instruction, and models her love of reading every day.”
Melissa E. Schultz teaches grade six mathematics at Great Neck Middle School and has been part of the VBCPS family for 14 of the 19 years she has been a teacher. From health education to special education to mathematics, Schultz has covered a great deal of ground in teaching students. However, as she says, “Just as…students need to grow, I believe the same holds true for educators.” This philosophy led her to personal growth. In 2001, after 13 years teaching special education she changed focus from special education to math, teaching sixth-grade math as part of an inclusion classroom. Schultz remarks that this setting gives her the best of both worlds, a continuation of teaching special education students who are “near and dear” to her heart while at the same time challenging herself and her students with the teaching of mathematics. For Schultz, teaching provides her the opportunity to instill a love of learning in her students while creating an environment which challenges each child to test his or her limits. And that’s what teaching is all about. Principal John Smith says that “Melissa Schultz is simply the best of the best. She is dynamic, engaging, organized, and compassionate. Every student should have the opportunity to experience her passion and love of learning. Every student in her class will learn math – they can’t help it! She’s that good!”
