Congratulations to these exemplary teachers!
The PAL® program and character development are going strong in Fort Bend Independent School District! On February 8th, the 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year Finalists for Fort Bend ISD were announced. Three of the five finalist teachers in the secondary school category are PAL® teachers! Big congratulations to these worthy and dedicated teachers: Barbara Burnham of L.V. Hightower High School, Debra Coleman of George Bush High School, and Karla Lalendorff of Stephen F. Austin High School.
About the Finalists
Barbara Burnham, M. Ed., has been teaching for twenty five years, and the last twenty-two of those have been within Fort Bend ISD. She began teaching PAL® in the 2000-2001 school year with a class of eleven students. By February of 2002, she was selected as one of thirteen Master PAL® Teachers from around the state of Texas. She continued to teach PAL® through 2006. As of the 2011-2012 school year Barbara Burnham returned to teaching PAL® once more. In addition to teaching PAL®, she also teaches Algebra I at Hightower High.
Debra Coleman, MLA, has been teaching for eleven years, and the last six of those have been at George Bush High School. While this is her first year to teach PAL® she is very proactive in implementing this transformative and character developing curriculum with her PAL® students. Debra Coleman also teaches AP English at Bush High School and a freshman English course at a local community college two nights a week.
Karla Lalendorff of Stephen F. Austin High School has been teaching over thirteen years and teaching PAL® for four years. In addition to PAL®, Ms. Lalendorff also teaches Advanced World History and AP World History.
Character Building and Excellence in Teaching Go Hand In Hand in Fort Bend ISD
This was also a big year for Fort Bend ISD as a whole. They were recently named as a recipient of the 2011 National District of Character award by the Character Education Partnership (CEP) in Washington, D.C. To be given this award involves a lengthy application process, and Fort Bend ISD is the only School District in the United States to receive this prestigious award from Washington.
Congratulations all around to these dedicated and talented teachers and to Fort Bend ISD for all of their efforts in helping to create a more responsible, caring and resilient future!
For to learn more about Fort Bend ISD’s Teacher of the Year Finalists, please go to: http://www.fortbendisdnews.com/go/doc/1934/1303255/
For more on Fort Bend ISD, please see: www.fortbendisd.com
Article written by Tara Cowan. Edited by Scott Shipman. Photos and interview information provided by teachers. Special thanks to Annette Henderson, FBISD PAL® District Coordinator.
