Noblesville Schools has named four educators as 2017 Teachers of the Year. The teachers were nominated by their principals and were then selected for the honor by a committee of administrators.
Winners were Molly Hass, a fifth-grade teacher at Promise Road Elementary; Sherrie McGovern, media specialist at Stony Creek Elementary; Natalie Parrish, a seventh-grade math teacher at Noblesville West Middle School; and Dave Ferris, a math and AP Statistics teacher at Noblesville High School.
Historically, one Teacher of the Year has been chosen, but this year, four educators were selected to represent different academic levels. This year’s middle school winner, Parrish, was further distinguished as the overall district winner. Two teachers were chosen at the elementary level to reflect the fact that approximately 50 percent of Noblesville Schools teachers are at the elementary level.
The district said teachers were chosen for the following reasons:
“Molly Hass encourages her students and peers to demand more of themselves and is regularly learning and growing alongside her students. She fosters an exceptional level of collaboration and innovation in the classroom, all while mentoring new teachers, leading high ability instruction, and encouraging building-wide professional development for other educators.”
“Sherrie McGovern brings out the best in students and other teachers through her outreach and energy. She has developed a STEM club, robotics challenges and Maker Space at Stony Creek, in addition to her work co-teaching in classrooms, leading professional development for faculty, serving on district leadership committees and connecting with at-risk students. “
“Natalie Parrish embraces new initiatives like co-teaching and flexible seating and is a leader among her peers. She masterfully differentiates instruction for her students, successfully serving challenging learners as well as high performers. Her students consistently exhibit the highest growth in performance measurements, and she is a teacher mentor, technology leader and positive problem solver.”
“Dave Ferris successfully generates excitement for, and deep understanding of, upper-level math concepts through creative, hands-on activities connected to real-world learning. He is respected locally and nationally as an AP trainer and master teacher. His students far exceed national averages on AP exams and he is a leader of professional development among NHS teachers.”
As the overall district honoree, Parrish also will participate in the state Teacher of the Year competition.
Noblesville Schools employs approximately 650 teachers.
