University of Wisconsin-Superior recognizes outstanding educators
The University of Wisconsin-Superior will proudly celebrate the professional excellence of two area teachers during the Recognition of Outstanding Early Career Educators and Pre-Service Educator Mentors award ceremony.
Spooner, Wis., Elementary School teacher Katie Stipetich will be recognized for her excellence as an early career educator, and Superior Middle School Special Education teacher Sally Pernu will be recognized for her outstanding work with pre-service teachers. Both educators will be honored guests at the awards tea sponsored by the Wisconsin Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (WACTE) and the Meemic Foundation at the Monona Terrace Community and Conference Center in Madison, Wis., on Sunday, April 8.
In nominating Stipetich, her principal states, “Katie Stipetich is what any school is hoping for in a young teacher. As we near the halfway point of her second year at Spooner, Katie has established herself as a confident and effective teacher. She helps plan daily instruction collaboratively with her team, delivers intensive academic interventions to struggling learners, and routinely and consistently reflects on her practice and seeks feedback so she can be continuously growing as a professional. She is also an active participant on her team and in our school community and is always quick with a positive comment or a thoughtful question.”
In nominating Pernu, UW-Superior Educator Preparation Program faculty wrote, “Sally Pernu has not only been an adjunct instructor for a variety of Teacher Education courses (such as Inclusive Practices in the General Education Classroom), but she has been an integral part of developing a strong partnership between the Superior School District and UW-Superior as a cooperative teacher for on-campus students who are aspiring special educators. Her commitment to finding special education placements for all special education practicum students is nothing short of phenomenal. Ms. Pernu assists in matching the disability area interest of the pre-service educator to the appropriate classroom. She has had countless numbers of practicum students in her resource classroom over the years. It has been a privilege for UW-Superior faculty to observe practicum students at work in her classroom. Ms. Pernu’s classroom is a respectful, academically engaging, and welcoming environment for practicum students to learn in.”
This is the fifth year that the WACTE has sponsored the Early Career and Pre-Service Educator Awards. The awards ceremony continues to grow each year, with more than 200 people attending last year. This year 59 teachers from 30 different institutions of higher education across the state will be honored for their professional excellence. The keynote speaker this year will be 2018 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year Matthew W. Miller, Sr. The Meemic Foundation sponsors the awards ceremony as well as the keynote speaker.
