3 Teachers That Make A Difference In Novi

NOVI, MI – Village Oak Elementary School teacher Lisa Rice is all about positivity, says one of her colleagues. And, the first grade teacher's positive attitude is contagious.

"When Lisa speaks about a child, she speaks through the lens of hope, love, and empathy," says her fellow teacher Myla Lee. "Lisa dedicates her time to guiding her students, being a mentor to new teachers, and helping her colleagues as their teacher union representative."

Rice is one of three teachers in the Novi Community School District that have been recognized as teachers of the year. Stephanie Boersma, an English language arts teacher Novi Middle School, and Heidi Pendergraff, a child development, life and leadership teacher at Novi High School also were recognized.

Rice has been a teacher for 25 years – all of them in Novi, according to a statement from the school district. As a teacher she has a willingness and desire to grow as an educator. In her classroom, no child goes unnoticed.

"As her students enter her classroom, each child is greeted with a friendly smile along with some sort of contact that lets each child know that they are important," the district said in a statement.

Likewise, Boersma focuses on "making authentic connections" in the classroom, says fellow teacher Katie Demonaco. Boersma, who teaches at Novi Middle School, has been in the Novi schools for six years and a teacher for 11 years.

"She gives students a space to feel heard, and she validates the way they think and feel," Demonaco says of Boersma. "She genuinely believes in and encourages her students. ... She is never short on compliments and praise, which is an extremely valuable currency to students who do not get enough love or respect otherwise."

When Boersma's colleagues have questions, concerns or ideas, they generally go to her first because she is an expert in her subject area, says the school district.

Boersma "has a rare ability to take a lesson that has been used for years and make it infinitely more meaningful after taking one look at it and putting her special touch on it," says the school district.

Meanwhile, Pendergraff is all about consistency, says the district.

"Consistency in the way she loves her students, consistency in the way she educates, and consistency in the way she lives by the methods she teaches," says the school district. "You can always count on walking out of Room 168 with a lesson that you never knew you needed as well as a knowledge that there is a safe place that you can go."

Pendergraff has been teaching for 20 years – all of those years in Novi.

Her colleague for the past seven years, Beth Canales-Herbert called Pendergraff a mentor and friend, whom students naturally migrate to.

"With the nature of her classes, she can't help but serve as a mentor and guide her students," Canales-Herbert says of Pendergraff. "Her room is full of students who need love and support here at school. She administers love and guidance each day."

With recommendations made by school administrators, the teachers' colleagues nominated the three recipients, who have achieved the highest standards of excellence. The Novi Schools’ Board of Education will officially recognize the teacher at its meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

They also have been nominated for the 2017-18 Oakland County Outstanding Teacher of the Year Awards, which includes a $2,000 cash prize. The county awards will be presented on April 30. One of the three Novi educators also will win the use of a new automobile for a year when the Novi Educational Foundation selects its NCSD Teacher of the Year in late March.

Images courtesy of the Novi Community School District