Staff Recognition
Osborn School District #8
The Osborn School District has had in place for the past 23 years a Citizen/ Employee Recognition Program to reward those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to our Osborn students.
The "You Make The Difference" Recognition Program again this spring recognizes these outstanding individuals. The criteria for recognition include the following:
- Being a strong, positive supporter of the Osborn School District.
- Demonstration of exemplary relationships with students, staff or citizens.
- Participation in activities and accomplishments that have brought distinction to the employee, citizen or the Osborn School District.
- Demonstration of continuous personal/professional growth.
- Demonstration of excellence in position.
Selected individuals are announced and honored each year at the May School Board meeting. For a list of individuals recognized in past years click here.
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George Couch,
Community Member
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Diane Less,
certified staff, MCS
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Maria Michel
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Zemina Kurtic,
Maintenance & Transportation
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Corissa Quijada
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Andrea Rodriguez,
certified staff, OMS
support staff, ENC
certified staff, CLA
20-Year Employees: Vicki Brand- OMS, Earl Cline- SOL, Marty Makar- OMS, Lynne Prose- MCS, Jill Shain- ENC, Donna Spano- CLA, and Rhonda Wilson- District
30-Year Employees: Tamra Loff- OMS, and Mary Pistor- District
Retirees: Cindy Bowling- District, Earl Cline- SOL, Dona Heath- SOL, Tamra Loff- OMS, Ken Wollert- Maintenance & Transportation, and Lori Sanders- ENC Librarian
Luis Valencia:
Congratulations to Encanto Third Grade Dual Language Teacher Luis Valencia! He was selected for the Esperanza Outstanding Latino Teacher’s Award. Chicanos Por La Causa, (CPLC) is in its 10th year of celebrating outstanding Hispanic teachers. Esperanza, which in Spanish means hope, is an attribute that teachers bring to students, and each year the recipients of this award are recognized for that gift of hope that they give their students every day. Luis Valencia originally helped to develop the Dual Language program at Osborn in 1998 while student teaching and has taught there since. He coordinates participation for Osborn students in state-wide Dual Language Essay contests and Spelling Bees– bringing home many trophies. His leadership the Osborn community is exemplary.
Principal Michael Robert and
Dual Language Teacher
Luis Valencia
Deborah Hodder:
Art teacher Deborah Hodder received her MFA in printmaking at Arizona State University in 1992. She
has exhibited extensively throughout Arizona as well as nationally and
is the recipient of numerous awards.
In addition to creating prints and mixed media drawings, Deborah has
been working with clay for the past 10 years. She found similarities in
both printmaking and ceramics; for example, when Hodder applies her
glazes she wipes away much of the surface glaze in a similar way to
wiping ink away from an intaglio plate. Texture is important and lines
are either incised or are imprinted.
Clay becomes a metaphor for nature in the way it binds elements
together. Animals, plants and the human form are often depicted within a
type of container.
The container becomes a world of its own. Plus, it is human nature to
hold onto things--keep things safe. Hodder's latest series is entitled,
"Security/Insecurity". Figurative forms are support units to others less
secure with life.
"Security/Insecurity VI"
More images are available to view:
Barbara Middleton:
Encanto and Clarendon Art Teacher Barbara Middleton has been teaching in the Osborn district for 21 years. Educated at the Kansas City Art Institute, she discovered that working with children was a natural and fulfilling occupation and entered ASU’s post-baccalaureate program to earn teaching credentials.
Principal Skydives Because Class Met their Reading Goals!
When Longview was coming up with their SMART (Specific & Strategic, Measurable, Attainable, Results Oriented, and Time Bound) reading goals for the year, Sheltered English Immersion teacher Katy Lee approached Longview’s Principal, Leslie Beauchamp, with an idea. Beauchamp, thinking about how the reading goals are to be challenging and lofty, assented. Lee motivated her students with a video of herself skydiving and the students were instantly inspired not only to meet their reading goals, but to get their principal to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Last week, the final student met his goal and the Principal jumped. Beauchamp had a wonderful time and is glad she returned to the earth safe and sound. Congratulations go to Lee’s class, as well as all of the other classes that met their reading goals. Longview had 28 teachers who created SMART goals this year. Each of them deserves congratulations for helping our students and families achieve lofty learning goals.
Beauchamp and her tandem skydiver, Dean, over Eloy, AZ
Theresa Hulihan:
Known to the Osborn community as the celebrated & fantastic Clarendon & Solano band teacher, Mrs. Hulihan has released her debut CD on the Emeritus label entitled "Colors". Duozona, the flute & guitar duo (Theresa and Chuck Hulihan), is now being heard around the world. Recently featured on KBAQ's CD of the Week, and on Classical Guitar Alive, their debut CD is getting a great deal of well deserved attention. Visit the Duozona website for a sampling of music. Mrs. Hulihan has taught in the district for 11 years.
Stacy Courtright
Fifth grade teacher at Longview, Ms. Courtright was one of 15 people selected nationally to participate in the Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar, "Getting to Know America’s Neighbors". This seminar, which examined the construction of national cultural identity, took her to Washington DC, Canada, and Mexico. She met with teachers, administrators, students, professors, authors and government officials to discuss cultural, educational and governmental topics. In addition to the discussions she also visited museums, government institutions, town centers, schools, economic institutions (Mexico-chocolate factory, weavers, potters, mineral plant, and Canadian oil sands). “I did have an experience of a lifetime. We covered many regions of both countries and explored a variety of areas.”
Fulbright Seminar Participants with American Ambassador Calgary 2007