2018 Nola Family Teacher of the Year

 

  Tamara Claverie

Nominated for her dedication to the students at St. George’s Episcopal School, where she teaches Life Skills classes to children in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade. In addition, Claverie holds the position of Director of Counseling.

 

An educator at St. George’s for 11 years, Claverie was also recently recognized by her peers as the recipient of the Betsey King Award, which recognizes the difference an educator makes daily in the classroom and beyond.

 

Among her many nominators, Dr. Emma Whitman, Assistant Head of School and Dir. of Lower School, wrote of Claverie, ‘ These classes are central to our students’ development. They target the development of social skills, self-esteem, puberty in adolescents, communication, diversity, and many other topics. The children love this class and they look forward to it every week. Tamara independently developed this program and the powerful curriculum.’

 

At Nola Family, prevailing themes that we return to time and again are those of diversity, anti-bullying and creating positive environments in which children can excel. It is especially pleasing to us to hear of Claverie’s role in promoting such programs at her school such as ‘Bully Free School’, and expanding the school’s ‘buddy system’. 

 

Congratulations to Tamara Claverie for creating such a strong foundation for her students’ future and earning the respect and adulation of peers and parents alike.

 

 

There are times when picking a winner leads us to think, ‘Yes, but what about this amazing person?’ This was one of those times. Because of that, we wanted to include an Honorable Mention.

 

Gaines was nominated by ninth grade student, Toan-An Duong; “Without a doubt in my mind, the greatest teacher of all time, would be my 9th grade Math teacher, Mister Charles Gaines. The man himself demonstrates everything necessary for a teacher to be influential and positive towards a group of high schoolers with self-control, the right amount of authority and approachability. He is the most competent teacher I have ever been taught under at Archbishop Shaw High School and will remain under that category for most students until the day he retires.”

 

Congratulations to Charles Gaines, the admiration of students is great praise indeed!