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Congratulations to Virginia Beach Schools’ 2009 Citywide Teacher Assistants of the Year

Congratulations to our 2009 Citywide Elementary Teacher Assistant of the Year Norma Owens and our 2009 Citywide Secondary Teacher Assistant of the Year Lou Ann Marston. Owens is a teacher assistant at Green Run Elementary School while Marston serves as the teacher assistant at Landstown Middle School. Both teacher assistants heard the good news in a surprise announcement made by VBEA president Dominic Melito during a Teacher Assistant of the Year reception designed to honor all of our schools’ teacher assistants of the year.

The Elementary Teacher Assistant of the Year – Norma Owens – is a multifaceted individual who contributes so much to her elementary school that a listing of her voluntary activities would fill a book. Not only does she help with the “Super Citizen” program, but she also helps with holiday gifts for families, the Angel Tree program, food baskets and family assistance. Owens is fluent in Spanish and provides a linguistic lifeline for the many Spanish-speaking students and parents. She serves as a translator in meetings with parents, has created a voice mailbox specifically for Spanish-speaking parents, and translates school notices to make sure parents receive the information.

The Secondary Teacher Assistant of the Year – Lou Ann Marston – is the first person many students see when they enter the school. She has served for six years as the assistant in the distance learning lab, and prior to this was a teacher assistant for three years in a special education classroom. Marston is a vital part of Landstown Middle’s staff. She always offers a kind word or some encouragement to every student who passes. She works with the sixth-grade tutoring program of American history and also takes part in the mentoring program for at-risk students. In addition, Marston is a fixture at numerous extracurricular activities such as dances and sporting events and is always happy to volunteer her time. Currently, Marston is Landstown Middle’s PTA president and has also served as vice president of membership.

The Teacher Assistant of the Year reception was sponsored by the VBEA and Virginia Beach Schools and was held at Tallwood High School. Invited guests included principals, VBEA building representatives and School Board members. VBEA president Dominic Melito, Superintendent Merrill, and School Board Chairman Dan Edwards all spoke briefly, offering well-deserved congratulations to the honorees. A highlight of the festivities was the formal presentation of congratulatory certificates to each teacher assistant of the year.

Again, congratulations to Norma Owens
and Lou Ann Marston, 2009 Citywide Teacher Assistants of the Year, and
to all our teacher assistants of the year.
You bring great honor to the school division, your schools, and yourselves.

Pictured (left to right) are Virginia Beach Central Academy principal Michael Bolton, ISS coordinator and VBEA rep Chenique Slater, Central Academy Teacher Assistant of the Year Jason Britt, and social studies teacher and department chair Carlos Seward.

Geoff Timlin, principal of Thalia Elementary School, congratulates Myrna Maisonave, Thalia's Teacher Assistant of the Year. She is an assistant for special education teacher Vanessa Domiguez and first-grade teacher Kandice Dixon. Pictured left to right are Geoff Timlin, Myrna Maisonave, Vanessa Domigues, and Kandice Dixon.

We are pleased to recognize the following teacher assistants
of the year whose names we received after the April/May edition
of e-Kaleidoscope was completed.

	Old Donation Center physical education teacher, Wayne Gibson congratulates Caren Yarbrough for being selected ODC Teacher Assistant of the Year. Not only is she a major contributing factor to the success of the PE department, she also makes sure all of the buses are running smoothly. A well-deserved recognition!
	Christy Marchiano, a physical education assistant at Glenwood Elementary School, has been selected as the school's Teacher Assistant of the Year. She was misidentified in the April/May edition of e-Kaleidoscope. We regret the error.
	Congratulations to Pembroke Elementary School’s Debbie Gearhart who was recently named Teacher Assistant of the Year.
	Windsor Oaks Elementary is proud to honor its Teacher Assistant of the Year, Karren Ellis, who serves as a special education teacher assistant for second- and third-grade students. Pictured are special education teacher Melody Copper, John Ellis, teacher assistant Karren Ellis, and principal Michael Maloney.

Debra Merillat, special education assistant, was selected the Teacher Assistant of the Year at the Special Education Annex.

Congratulations to Three Oaks Elementary physical education assistant Kathy Fitzpatrick on being named the 2009 Teacher Assistant of the Year.