Teacher Of The Week: Ms. Kirsten Shivak​

BAY SHORE, NY - Everybody has a favorite teacher — maybe it's a teacher who went out of their way to make one student's day or a teacher who brightens up a classroom every day.

One teacher who deserves a shout-out is Ms. Kirsten Shivak, a second grade teacher at Fifth Avenue Elementary School in Bay Shore. She was nominated as this week's Teacher of the Week by Carolyn Audette.

Here's what Audette had to say about Ms. Shivak:

She is the best teacher is have ever worked with or had in my own school days. Those kids come out of that class with skills that I’m sure they use throughout the rest of their schooling. She reminds me of the old days when you were able to incorporate some fun things into teaching . i.e for new years she has them decorate a ball for the times square ball drop and has a pulley system and drops the ball along with other traditions around the world like eating the 12 grapes, fortune cookies and gonging the bell. To demonstrate glaciers she sets up “trees”, lays a child on desks that are lined up and pulls the child across the desks to mimic the glaciers and how they all pile up. To teach about stingrays and how they eat off the floor she brought in her vacuum and drew a stingray to place over the nozzle and mimicked the ray sucking up food. these are just some of the fun things she teaches to make learning fun again! These children get no better education than with Kirsten Shivak!!!

Congratulations to Ms. Shivak!

Do you have a special teacher you think deserves a shout-out for Teacher of the Week? Email priscila.korb@patch.com to nominate your favorite teacher.