October Educator Spotlight: Toler & Witri
October Educator Spotlight: Toler & Witri
Congratulations to our October Educator Spotlight honorees: Harding Middle School cafeteria worker Jean Toler and Garfield Middle School intervention specialist Patti Witri! Click on the Read More link below to learn more about these outstanding employees!
JEAN TOLER
Harding Middle School cafeteria worker Jean Toler believes that her Vision of a Lakewood Educator competencies are key to helping her get through her day successfully. According to Jean, she and Harding cafeteria lead Kimberly Campfield are so well in sync because they are constantly communicating, collaborating and thinking creatively and critically in order to provide the meals to the Harding students efficiently while offering choices that appeal to them.
“We work wonderfully together,” Jean says of Kimberly, who nominated Jean for the Educator honor. When issues arise, as they do, Jeans says she and Kimberly brainstorm, compromise when needed, and together come to a solution to the problem.
Jean, who has worked for the District for 19 years, is glad that Nutrition Services policy allows her to demonstrate empathy for the students and if a student forgets their lunch money, she is able to give them some grace and provide them with a hot lunch anyway.
Kimberly credits Jean with being a great problem solver, employing her excellent critical thinking skills when a challenge arises such as a vendor delivering a wrong item. “You really have to think on your feet,” Jean says.
For Jean, coming to work each day at the District after 19 years, is still rewarding. Says Jean: “I like the work and the people I work with. This is my home.”
Thank you Jean for all that you do for our students!
PATTI WITRI
According to her eighth grade teaching colleague, Alina Sandoval, Garfield Middle School intervention specialist Patti Witri is a model of all six of our Vision of a Lakewood Educator competencies. The outstanding communication and collaboration Patti and Alina engage in is just one of the things that prompted Alina to nominate Patti for this, her last school year.
“Patti excels at communication as we plan together, work with students in need together, brainstorm together,” says Alina. “She is one of the most open minded and flexible people you could work with.”
To successfully serve her students, Patti says, collaboration and communication and building trust among the ELA team “is everything.” Having a high level of trust and cooperation with her colleagues allows Patti’s focus to be on supporting the students, which Alina says Patti excels at.
“She holds students accountable and provides multiple opportunities for success,” Alina says. “If at first they don't succeed, she not only encourages, but GETS students to try, try again!”
Empathy is also one of Patti’s hallmarks. Each year, she makes a point of getting to know the whole child in order to better help support them when they may have trouble, behaviorally or academically. “Patti encourages students to share their unique traits and truly wants to get to know students for who they are. She is always respectful of our students” says Alina.
The investment in building relationships certainly has paid off for Patti and her students. Says Alina: “Patti has made a positive difference in countless students' lives.“
Thank you Patti for all that you do for our students!