By Dr. Annette Weissman, Principal Sunny Isles Beach Community School

Let me share a story with you.  As a dear friend prepared to retire from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, she distributed most of her personal resource materials to colleagues at her school.  Some things were outdated, but much was valuable and the teachers appreciated her generosity.  What did she save as keepsakes of her 30 plus years of working with children?  She saved what she cherished most – notes from students and parents.  She still enjoys reading and rereading the notes  the children wrote to her about the time they spent with her, the things they learned from her, and the fun they had being in her classroom.  The messages from the parents really meant a great deal to her.  The parents often expressed their appreciation for her concern for their child; some thanked her for her patience; others reflected on the impact she had made on the child and, in some cases, on the entire family.  Yes, she had made a difference.  Yes, those 30 plus years were well spent.

Why did I decide to share this with you?  The answer is rather simple.  I want you to know that teachers all over the world are faced with difficult decisions and challenges every day.  They work tirelessly to ensure that every child in their class has the opportunity to learn and grow.  This is no easy task, yet they return everyday with smiles on their faces and hope and promise in their hearts.  

At SIBCS, we have some of the most dedicated, professional teachers who truly dedicate themselves to children and education.  By 7:00 AM the parking lot is already dotted with the early birds who arrive to prepare for the day, tutor students in their rooms, or hold parent conferences.  One thing distinguishes all the teachers arriving throughout the morning!  They are all toting papers they have marked at home and their rolling carts are filled with “treats” for the students and creative teaching tools they have designed or purchased.  Outstanding teaching begins as soon as the students arrive and continues throughout the day – which doesn’t seem to have an end.  Teachers remain after school for meetings, for special projects, and for tutoring and clubs.  The SIBCS teachers are always available to assist students and parents.

Every year, the M-DCPS asks each school’s faculty to recognize one its teachers as the Teacher of the Year and one of its early career teachers as the Rookie Teacher of the Year.  The underlying concept is that the Teacher of the Year represents all the outstanding teachers at the school. As you can well imagine, this is a great challenge at a school like SIBCS, but the faculty has made its selection for this year.  I am so proud to announce that Ms. Christine Peck, Kindergarten Teacher, was selected as the Teacher of the Year and Ms. Melissa Bonkoski, Seventh Grade Science Teacher, was selected as the Rookie Teacher of the Year.  Congratulations to both of them.   These truly talented teachers are what make SIBCS K-8 special. 

Left: Rookie teacher of the year Ms. Melissa Bonkoski
Right: Teacher of the Year Ms. Christine Peck