Shoreline Schools Teacher of the Year: Becky Edy

Becky Edy, fourth grade teacher at Highland Terrace Elementary, has been selected as the 2011 Shoreline School District Teacher of the Year.

2011 Shoreline Teacher of the Year Becky Edy, second from right, with Highland Terrace Principal Mike VanOrden, Director of Teaching and Learning Sue Porter and Superintendent Sue Walker.

She will be honored at a reception at 6:30 pm on Monday, May 9 in the Shoreline Center lobby. Shoreline Teacher Appreciation Week, which honors all certificated staff members in the District, will be celebrated May 9 to 13.

Edy has taught in Shoreline for 29 years overall, and at Highland Terrace since 1996. She has also taught at Brookside, Echo Lake, North City and Ridgecrest during her career.

“Becky is an extraordinary teacher who creates individualized learning experiences for all of her students in a highly personalized and caring environment,” her nomination read in part. “She is adored by her students, valued by parents and admired by her colleagues. On top of it all, Becky is a lifelong learner; she is always looking for new and better ways to provide the best education possible for her students.”

Her lifelong learning has included teaching in Shanghai and a 2009 University of Washington summer fellowship to Jordan. She has served on numerous school and District committees, including elementary reading, math and writing curriculum adoptions, the Puget Sound Writing Project and is Highland Terrace Response to Intervention coach.

Becky is asked to serve in leadership roles because of the high degree of respect the people she works with have for her.

“She is the most conscientious and hard-working teacher I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” wrote a colleague. “Seven days a week and around the clock she is thinking of ways to help her students.”

Her classroom is a remarkable place for kids to learn and grow. A parent wrote: “This evening before dinner I was talking with my son about school. He explained to me how much he is enjoying learning fractions in Ms. Edy’s class. At this age it is very important that kids develop a sense of desire to learn and she has done that.”

The Shoreline Teacher of the Year is selected by a committee of staff, administrators and parents from nominations received from throughout the District. Becky will receive a $500 grant from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation and will be Shoreline’s nominee for the 2012 Washington State Teacher of the Year.

--Shoreline School District