The Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce presented awards to teachers in the Lake Havasu Unified School District Thursday evening.

The following teachers were awarded and their accomplishments and attributes are reported according to an email from Jaime Festa-Daigle, district director of personnel and technology.

Rookie of the Year Rebekah Kent Oro Grande Elementary School

Rebekah Kent accepts her award at the Chamber of Commerce Mixer. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Rebekah, Miss Kent, is in her third year of teaching but is completing her first year with the Lake Havasu Unified School District as a Classical Academy first-grade teacher at Oro Grande Elementary School.  This is the first year this program has been in place, and Kent has immersed herself in learning about Classical Education.  Last summer, she joined the planning team and has gone above and beyond in learning everything she can to help her students succeed.

Kent’s colleagues and principal describe her as modest yet outgoing and a highly effective educator. She provides her students’ rich, virtuous knowledge and really shines in the classroom when it comes to kindness and consideration of all students. Kent is an impact teacher. Her impact on Oro Grande’s Classical education has taken not only her students to new impressive heights, but also her role as a classical leader and influencer has helped to guide the school’s culture.

Kent has excellent relationships with parents, students and colleagues. She is always willing to help and jump in where needed, and she is always willing to share with other teachers and anyone in the district.

Kent is amazing and meets the social, emotional and academic needs of all of her students. She always has a smile on her face and brings joy to anyone she meets. I cannot say enough about this wonderful teacher and I hope she receives the recognition she deserves.

As a graduate of Lake Havasu High School, Kent came home to Lake Havasu and is already making our community a better place.  We congratulate and honor Miss Kent as the LHUSD Rookie of the Year.

Staff Member of the Year  Tammie Dutton  Thunderbolt Middle School

Tammie Dutton accepts her award Thursday evening from Jaime Festa-Daigle. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Mrs. Dutton has served the students and families of LHUSD since 1996, 22 years. While being the full-time nurse at Thunderbolt, Tammie has served as the Lead Nurse for the district for several years, supporting all school nurses.  Although her title is School Nurse, she wears many hats. She is a counselor when an emotional need is being masked by a health request. She is an advisor when a student or family needs support in managing an ongoing health issue. She is an encourager when a student REALLY needs to be in class. Most importantly, Dutton knows intuitively which hat to wear for each student. She works closely with all parents to meet small and large medical needs for students.

Dutton meets the emotional and medical needs of students on a daily basis. She is masterful at connecting with students, especially those who “visit” her more frequently. Although they present with a variety of symptoms, she knows when the real need is to show she cares. In the midst of meeting the varying needs of students, Tammie keeps their academic needs as the priority. She works closely with teachers to ensure students’ needs are met without interrupting instruction whenever possible. Mrs. Dutton also works with staff; she shares her expertise with staff in how to manage medical emergencies in the classroom and is always available for deeper support for specific situations.

As the lead Nurse, Dutton works with our community agencies and coordinates with all of our nurses in areas such as updates in laws, immunizations, various types of required screenings, and health trends and updates.  In addition, she leads several community donation drives throughout the year to benefit Thunderbolt and all Lake Havasu students.

Congratulations to Mrs. Tammie Dutton, our 2018-19 Staff Member of the Year.

District Teacher of the Year   Roseann Hagen   Smoketree Elementary School

Roseann Hagen thanks her family during the Chamber Mixer Thursday evening. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Roseann Hagen is a first-grade teacher at Smoketree Elementary School.

Hagen started her career in Cody, Wyo., where she was the owner, director and preschool teacher for her state licensed Little Munchkin’s Development Center. She received her Associate of Science degree from Northwest College in Wyoming.  She took coursework for her bachelor’s degree at Montana State University and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Arizona University in May 1999.  Hagen student-taught at Oro Grande Elementary School in the spring 1999 and has been with us ever since!

Hagen is a lifelong learner.  She received her master’s degree from NAU in 2002 and has achieved additional certifications to her standard elementary certificate in the areas of Early Childhood education and Structured English Immersion. Hagen is also certified as a K–12 Reading Specialist.

The following are what her colleagues and principal had to say about Hagan.

She is one of those teachers whose students will remember their entire life. She is gracious and encouraging, while expecting and only accepting your absolute best. Hagen teaches her students how to reach their full potential: academically, socially and personally. She works closely with students and their families to ensure success.

Hagen strives to support our staff. She is always available to listen, brainstorm, troubleshoot and model strategies, techniques, and her extensive depth of content knowledge. She has an immense tool kit that she more than willingly shares to any and all interested. She has participated in numerous committees throughout the years. She is loved and appreciated by all who meet her.

Her warm, loving and patience for all children and staff, shines throughout the entire building.  We are lucky to have her in our Smoketree family.

Dr. Van Der Riet- our Director for ASU Lake Havasu- and several dignitaries were on a whirlwind tour of the potential student teacher locations across Mohave County.  Stopped at Smoketree and decided to go into a classroom.

Hagen’s class is the “go to” classroom, as good instruction and student learning are always happening.  She was teaching phonics with total physical response- an SEI strategy. The students were totally engaged, and they were learning.  Dr. Van Der Riet- tall and skinny- was doing it right along with the first graders-and he would not leave.  So there we all stood, doing physical phonics with the first graders for ten minutes.  When we left the room, Dr. Van Der Riet said, “I want to be in her class.  NO really, I want to be in her class!  Every child should be in her class.”

There are no better words than those to describe our 2018-19 Lake Havasu USD Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations to Mrs. Roseann Hagen.

The following teachers were also honored at each school : Carol Nowakowski of Oro Grande Elementary, Olivia Robison of Havasupai Elementary, Roseann Hagen of Smoketree Elementary, Jennifer Black of Thunderbolt Middle School, Carmen Domek of Lake Havasu High School, Lori Felish of Starline Elementary, Tricia Komen of Nautilus Elementary, and Liane Stancil of Jamaica Elementary.

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Oro Grande principal Brett Bitterman presents an award to Carol Nowakowski. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Andrea Helart of Jamaica Elementry presents an award to Liane Stancil. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Lori Felish accepts an award from Starline Elementary principal Corey Triassi. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Roseann Hagen accepts an award from Smoketree Elementary principal Connie Hogard. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Olivia Robison accepts an award from Havasupai Elementary principal Claude Saunders. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Tricia Komen accepts an award from Nautilus principal Roger Burger. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Jennifer Black accepts an award from Thunderbolt principal Mari Jo Mulligan. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Carmen Domek accpets an award from Lake Havasu High School principal Scott Becker. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene