Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Golden Apple Award
November 2, 2015
Patrick Dwyer, Educator
“Mr. Patrick Dwyer is a positive educator who builds rapport with students and goes beyond the scope of his teaching duties when working with students,” said Sarge Truesdell, Skyview Middle School principal. “He is an innovator in the classroom as well as in his duties as our athletic director and head track coach. He has been teaching science at the middle school for the past nine years. A positive staff member, he mentors young teachers and is creative when working toward complex problems in our large building of over 400 students, and more than 50 staff members.”
In 2012, Mr. Dwyer co-created a sixth grade transition program for incoming students to the middle school. As a seventh grade science teacher, he recognized the challenges that incoming students had when transitioning from elementary school to middle school. The summer program has continued to grow serving over 20 students a year, despite shrinking resources. In the four years since Mr. Dwyer helped to create the program, it has served nearly 100 students. Mr. Dwyer has been able to work alongside one of his colleagues to continue to be responsive to the need of students despite limited time and funding.
An innovator, Mr. Dwyer not only developed the middle school transition program, but he has contributed on several district and statewide committees. This past summer he was part of a district-wide science collaboration that worked well into the summer break to find resources that matched the KPBSD science curriculum. Mr. Dwyer is a highly organized person and during his five years as the athletic director, he has put policies and procedures in place to make the athletic department more efficient. When Soldotna Middle School relocated and transitioned to become Skyview Middle School, he successfully transitioned the entire athletic department—including all the equipment and ordering of new uniforms. The ordering of uniforms was a daunting task as it required sizing, quotes, colors, numbers, and funding for every sport offered at the middle school.
Mr. Dwyer has his administrative degree and is the first person to volunteer to substitute in the office when the principal and vice principal are out of the building. Additionally, he has substituted in other KPBSD schools when an administrative substitute was not available. As a substitute principal, Mr. Dwyer can handle any situation that arises, keeps parents informed, and holds students accountable. “Mr. Dwyer is a work horse—he puts in the time that most other educators are just unwilling to put in,” said Sarge Truesdell. “His vehicle can be found in the parking lot early in the morning and late at night. He can be seen setting up cross country running events, putting the flags on the soccer field, and rolling out the scorer’s table for basketball games all throughout our athletic seasons. He does all of that while still planning and preparing for a full six class period day with multiple age and grade science classes. He demonstrates on a daily basis all of the personal and professional qualities of a powerful and dedicated educator.”
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education is proud to recognize Mr. Patrick Dwyer for his dedication to the students of the school district, past, present, and future.
Links