Connie Douglas Makes A Difference at Columbia Elementary!

Connie Douglas makes a difference in the lives of the students at Columbia Elementary School.  This year she was recognized by the CES staff with the “You Make A Difference Award.”  She is an amazing asset to the students and teachers.  As the librarian, her enthusiasm for reading and getting children excited to read more books is infectious! When asked why she likes to work at Columbia Elementary School, Mrs. Douglas said, “It is the absolute best place to work, the rewards, the staff, everything about it is wonderful!”

When talking about Mrs. Douglas, the Columbia Elementary School principal Mrs. Wright, said “Wow!  She does it all.”  She went on to comment, “Connie greats each student every morning.”  Mrs. Wright talked about Connie’s way of encouraging students to read.  She said, “Connie makes reading fun by dressing up in costumes and decorating the library.  During March is Reading Month she dressed up like a pirate!”  Mrs. Wright went on to say that the theme for the special reading emphasis was “We Arr-gg Readers!”  It was a fun time for the students, because Mrs. Douglas decorated the library with items associated with pirates. 

Mrs. Douglas’ enthusiasm for reading helps to motivate the students.  She mentioned that during the year, she does a “Top Reader of the Month Award for two students and keeps track of the students with the most accelerated reader points on the Star Wall.”  She continued saying that, “The top 10 first graders and the top 10 second graders get their pictures on the Star Wall.”  She explained that, “This wall has students from as long ago as 2002, and our readers are excited to earn enough points to take someone’s place on the wall. This is a real accomplishment.” 

Mrs. Douglas has had various jobs for the Columbia School District, including being a one-on-one aide and assisting students in special education.  As part of her duties, Connie tracks student attendance and fills in for the school secretary during lunch time.  She is very creative and tries to make a difference for the children in Columbia.  In addition, Mrs. Douglas is very active in working with the staff to increase their level of fitness.  She does a special walking club called, “Move Your Butt” on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, that involves walking and exercising in the bus loop between the elementary buildings.

Mrs. Douglas gets involved with positivity at Columbia Elementary by encouraging students to work hard and be kind.  She helps award students for their behavior by assisting in the celebration for the Columbia Elementary School Student of the Month Award.  Mrs. Wright mentioned that additionally, Connie “gives out prizes every Friday to students who have been chosen for Mystery Behavior! “  Connie explained that, “This is a focused behavior on positive actions by the students.”  She mentioned that she also does the “Work Hard and Be Kind” student award each morning.  Connie said, “The students love receiving awards for positive behavior!”  Connie is a blessing to the children and staff at CES!  She is very deserving of her award for making a difference!   Learn more about Columbia School District at www.myeagles.org .

Mrs. Burge Makes A Difference at CES!

Barb Burge was honored with the “You Make A Difference” Award this year for her ability to continually give our Columbia Elementary students the attention that makes each moment extra special.  This award is voted on by her fellow staff members.  Barb loves her job as a dedicated teaching assistant for a child.   She said that her degree in therapeutic recreation gives her a special insight to do her job.  She works to be creative and make learning fun for her “Little Eagle” student.

Mrs. Burge said, that she appreciates the team work and camaraderie at Columbia Elementary School.  She commented that the “teachers and staff are always asking others for ideas and everyone is willing to share ideas.” She continued by saying that there is a spirit of encouragement and humility within the staff.

Barb mentioned that she looks “forward to connecting with the kids every day. It's important to me to stop when a child is speaking to me and look them in the eye and really pay attention to them. Everyone wants to be heard and understood and working at CES is the perfect place to show I value the kids.”

Mrs. Burge enjoys working with the children at Columbia Elementary.  Her experience raising her three boys with her husband has given her insight that comes in handy with the “Little Eagles.”  She said that her son Kaden, who was the prince in the CCHS production, ‘The Little Mermaid’ has also played in the band and soccer.   Since many of the students saw the play, she gets to use him as an example of the positive opportunities at Columbia.

Barb also enjoys working with first grade teacher, Mrs. Wisneski to encourage the students to eat healthy.  She mentioned that because they set an example by eating fruit for snack each day many of the students would bring fruit for their daily snack.  The interest in bringing fruit for snack even encouraged the principal, Mrs. Wright, to bring her apple into the classroom and join in the healthy fun! 

Mrs. Burge continued to make a difference in the lives of the children of Columbia Elementary even through the school closure this spring.  She continued to encourage children to keep learning and taking advantage of the time with their family.  Barb missed seeing the children every day, she added that, “kids give the best hugs!”  Thank you Mrs. Burge for your work at Columbia Elementary School! 

Making A Difference: Mrs. Hawkins!

“You Make A Difference!”  At Columbia Elementary School, Wendy Hawkins makes a difference in the lives of her students each and every day!  She was chosen by her peers for the “You Make A Difference” award.  Mrs. Hawkins said, “As a first grade teacher, I get to have so much fun with my students! Even though we have a lot of challenging lessons to learn, we get to read great books, sing, laugh, and create all the time. I can't imagine a life without fulfillment that comes at the end of a day of teaching.”

Mrs. Hawkins continued by saying, “I love teaching because it allows me to give my students a gift they will use they use for the rest of their lives, the ability to read. Seeing a first grader come to school knowing a little bit about reading and how words work, and then blossoming into this child that reads book after book is amazing. The pure joy that is seen on a child's face when they get to read something on their own is priceless.”

Mrs. Hawkins spent more than a decade in the business world before she began teaching.  She began teaching she was 35 and she is so thankful that she made the change to work in education because she gets to do something she loves.  She commented that she “still gets excited to see my students and coworkers every day. Each day is a new adventure.”

Wendy is thankful to the Columbia community for being generous and supporting her classroom through grants for books, robots, building, and art materials.  She mentioned that, “Columbia School District truly has my heart. I was raised here, am a member of the community, my son is a Columbia grad. I feel such a strong bond to our local families and our district. We have so much to offer students and families, and I believe we are the best district around. So, I am very blessed.”

Not only does Mrs. Hawkins make a difference in her classroom, she is an integral part of the community.  She volunteers with the Columbia Schools Educational Foundation by working on their social media, helping with the annual golf outing and assisting with the scholarship process.  Thank you Mrs. Hawkins for making a difference every day!