Tears flowed almost instantly down Robyn Frame's face after Fulton Public Schools Superintendent Jacque Cowherd announced Frame as the Teacher of the Year on Wednesday during the district's annual End of the Year Gathering.
As she walked toward Cowherd to accept the award, her co-workers raised pictures of her in the air to show support. Frame, a kindergarten teacher at Bartley Elementary School, shed more tears when she reached the podium, noticing her family and friends who surprised her with their attendance.
"It feels like a dream," Frame said about winning the award.
Frame started her tenure at Bartley 10 years ago after coming back to teaching. She had taken a seven-year hiatus to raise her two daughters, Hannah and Olivia. Bartley Elementary Principal Connie Epperson nominated Frame for the award, stating she is a "lifelong learner," who is "dynamic, compassionate, oozes with enthusiasm for what she teaches and provides the structure and adventure a kindergarten student needs to be successful."
"She still finds learning to be meaningful and rewarding," Epperson wrote in her nomination letter.
While the attention was on Frame Wednesday night, she gave praise back to her co-workers - in particular her fellow Bartley kindergarten teacher Katie Finley - during an impromptu acceptance speech.
"I couldn't be where I am today without the people who surround me everyday," Frame said. "It's been a pleasure working with so many of you, I maybe had some of you in my class ... I have to say Katie Finley has been such a delight."
Also honored Wednesday night was Dale Yancey, a mechanic for the district since 1992. He earned the first-ever Fulton Public Schools Support Staff of the Year award. Bryan Abbott, direction of the Fulton transportation department, nominated Yancey for the award stating: "Dale is a loyal member of the Fulton Public School team. He is always willing to go above and beyond to make sure our students get to and from school or activity trips. He always puts the students before himself. He understands this is what we do no matter the title given."
Abbott also stated in his nomination letter that Yancey is an "emergency driver," picking up a bus route at a moments notice. Because of this, he is knowledgeable of every route. In addition to his work with the district, Yancey is a volunteer fireman for Callaway County.
Fulton Public Schools Board of Education President Andy Bonderer presented Portia Shadbolt with the David W. White Outstanding Service Award, which was created in 1993 to recognize individuals who have "given generously of themselves" while demonstrating "excellence of character, performance, leadership and service." Shadbolt volunteers at Bartley Elementary, working with kindergartners in Response To Intervention groups, one-on-one with first grade reading and label collection and book fair coordination with the Parent-Teacher Organization.
Bonderer said he knew David W. White personally and because the award is named after him, understands its caliber.
"I would say to you, in my mind, this is a big deal to be recognized in this honor," Bonderer said. "There is no way for me to stand up here tonight and do the justice for the hours that you've spent volunteering at Bartley Elementary."
Fulton Community Teachers Association President Trish Alexander announced the giving of seven grants - totaling to $6,000 - to teachers at the elementary, middle and high school levels. The grants are funded by the Fulton Public Schools Foundation.
The grants included:
• McIntire Elementary third grade teacher Nikki Brown and the school's curriculum committee were awarded $1,000 for a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) night. Students and families can participate in activities within those subjects.
• McIntire Elementary fourth grade teacher Casey Echelmeier was awarded $1,000 for a project called, "Creation Station." It will be a quarterly after-school program to promote STEAM skills, problem solving and critical thinking targeted to fourth and fifth grade students during the event.
• Bartley Elementary third grade teacher Erica Hogan was awarded $1,000 for her "Cast the Chrome" project. It will "give students the opportunity to cast apps and projects they have created to the T.V. through the use of Chromecast," according to the project description.
• Fulton High School English teacher Melody Hapner was awarded $500 for her "Bring the Justice System to Life" project, which will allow all English 1 students the opportunity to visit the Missouri State Supreme Court and the capital. "This will enhance their unit over the novel, "Monster,' about a 16-year-old boy who is on trial for murder," the projection description states.
• Fulton High School math teacher Stephanie Smith was awarded $1,000 for her project "Geometry in Pictures: "You Should See in Pictures.'" "Students will explore and excavate real-life situations that are applicable to the current classroom content and to connect reasoning and depth of knowledge," the project description states. "Students will utilize cameras to collect data and photos of real-life items that can be used in the classroom according to geometry or algebra content."
• Bartley Elementary kindergarten teachers Robyn Frame and Katie Finley were awarded $500 for their project, "Authentic Educational Experiences We Will Always Remember." The grant will fund field trips for kindergartners to explore places in the community such as Peace Tree Farms, the KOMU T.V. station, William Woods University, Westminster College, The Callaway Bank and the Runge Nature Center.
• Fulton Middle School teacher Joshua Howard was awarded $1,000 for his project, "Middle School Guided Reading Bookroom." The grant will fund a new bookroom at the middle school where students can "obtain reading materials at their ability level" and "provide them with instructional texts that work for the level at which they are performing."
The event also recognized retiring staff: Mimi Curtis, third grade teacher at Bush Elementary; Barbara Reid, director of special services and federal programs; Linda Roe, Bartley Elementary library aide; Mary Sasser, director of instruction and curriculum; and Phyllis Swiney, Fulton High School special services teacher.
This story previously did not state that the grants were funded by the Fulton Public Schools Foundation. The story has been updated to reflect the change.