{"id":2708,"date":"2016-05-06T14:23:41","date_gmt":"2016-05-06T22:23:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/communications.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us\/wpmu\/?p=2708"},"modified":"2016-05-06T14:23:41","modified_gmt":"2016-05-06T22:23:41","slug":"nickole-lyon-2016-bp-teacher-of-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kpbsd.org\/schools\/comm-test\/2016\/05\/06\/nickole-lyon-2016-bp-teacher-of-excellence\/","title":{"rendered":"Nickole Lyon | 2016 BP Teacher of Excellence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nickole Lyon \u2013 Seward Elementary School<\/a>
\n2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
\n<\/strong>Special education preschool teacher
\n

\"Nickole<\/a>
Nickole Lyon, Seward Elementary School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

\u201cNone of us get good at what we do without a little help,\u201d said Nikole Lyon. \u201cI work with some of the most dedicated families and professionals I know on a daily basis. I am so thankful to live and teach in a community that is as passionate about teaching the whole child as I am. Thank you for your support and encouragement to grow into the teacher I am today.\u201d
\n\u201cIt was an honor to attend the BP Teachers of Excellence award dinner to honor Nickole Lyon, Seward Elementary preschool\u00a0intensive needs special education teacher,\u201d said David Kingsland, principal. \u201cNickole is an excellent teacher, who uses child centered instruction to help integrate students into her classroom and to develop their full potential.\u201d
\n\u201cThis year\u2019s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,\u201d said Sean Dusek, superintendent. \u201cThey are humble, hard-working and student-centered. I was particularly impressed with how all of the finalists have gone the extra mile for their students and make sure every student they work with know that they are loved.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A graduate of Chadron State College in Nebraska, she achieved her Master of Education in Early Childhood Special Education from University of Alaska Anchorage. She has been a teacher for 11 years, all in Alaska.
\nAs a parent, you know just how much help your child requires on a daily basis. So there\u2019s nothing more terrifying than the thought of sending that child away\u2013being out of sight, saying good bye and letting go\u2013allowing your child to be under the care of someone else, especially if they require special needs.
\nImagine the parent\u2019s immense relief to find out Nickole is that someone else. One of her student\u2019s parents says: \u00a0\u201cShe creates a happy, beautiful, organized and enriching classroom for my son and his classmates. They receive amazing one-on-one attention.\u201d
\nWhen one of Nickole\u2019s students learned that his military family will be moving to Virginia, she made contact with the child\u2019s new teacher and set up a Skype date so he could see his new classroom all the way across the country.
\nNickole says: \u201cAt the heart of my instruction is developmental play. At three, four and five years old, play is their driving force. It\u2019s how they develop personality, sense of self and social skills.\u201d Nickole is constantly analyzing their actions during play, evaluating their interests, and emotional, physical and cognitive development to adjust her curriculum for each child, and for the class as a whole. She says, \u201cI\u2019m building their confidence to work outside their comfort zone. Learning is much easier if you\u2019re confident.\u201d She gently pushes them to advance and achieve a measure of independence. \u201cI am a firm believer in teaching the whole child,\u201d she says. \u201cMy heart swells with pride when I\u2019m out at some community event with my family and I see former students who once struggled with social skills and communication, outgoing and confident and having fun.\u201d
\nA mother of two children, Nickole and her husband have also served as mother to foster children. She volunteers for a long list of community and school programs, and mentors at adoption workshops, helping others become parents.
\nCongratulations, Nickole Lyon, BP Teacher of Excellence.<\/p>\n

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