Holly Seefried, Second Grade, Westgate Elementary, Lakewood
"Holly truly stands out as a dedicated and compassionate teacher of children The transformation I have see in Holly the last two years has been phenomenal! She is taking on many instructional leadership roles at Westgate. There have been many school changes occurring and Holly can be seen front and center as an advocate for children and for Westgate. She is bound and determined to turn our school around, singled handedly if she needs too. Over the last school year she has spent over 130 hours on the Success In Sight Team developing and implementing focused staff development and to look at data to develop goals for student achievement. Because of the focused work Holly is doing, Westgate is seen as a model Success in Sight school.
"When Holly works with children it is magic. She goes above and beyond to ensure that students are making great progress. While using data she has narrowed in on specific goals and targets for individual children. Whatever it is that Holly is doing, she does it with fidelity. During a Mondo sight visit the trainer said that we should be videotaping Holly teach and use those tapes for training because she was doing a job well beyond that of the trainers. This is a huge compliment. Holly is willing to share her knowledge and work with other staff members to learn. Holly gives up her planning time one time a week to go into a first grade classroom to help with a 45 minute flooding model. She works with a third of the class on improving comprehension skills. The first grade teacher says that this has moved the students to a much higher level thinking level.
"Holly continues to give of her own time. She brings in a group of five boys in before school two days a week. She works with the boys to give them an additional hour and half a week of additional reading instructional time. She just had a large breakfast for the boys and their families to celebrate their commitment to their own learning. It was a huge success and the room was filled with pride.
"During the course of the school year Holly takes several classes to improve her own teaching. She is one of the strongest most dedicated learners at Westgate. She is so excited and energized by her learning and the learning of others that she and another teacher started a book study on their own around Reading for Meaning. Holly’s enthusiasm spread like wildfire. Now there is a large group meeting to continue this book study. Teachers form grades kindergarten through fourth grade have joined the group. What an incredible event she has started. Everything about her is contagious.
"In my thirteen years as an administrator I have not seen anyone like Holly who has just exploded with dedication and commitment. It is so exciting to watch and I don’t know what I would do without her. We certainly would not have made the progress we have made without her. It makes me so excited to watch what a masterful teacher has the power to do for children and a school like Westgate.
Susan Hakanson, Principal, Westgate Elementary
Carla Sullivan, Family and Consumer Science, North Arvada Middle School
 "Carla qualifies for this award with a variety of roles that she fills in our school. First, she was awarded a Smartboard as she wrote the best application for the intended use of the technology at. She has used it regularly in her Family and Consumer Science classroom. Her application clearly demonstrated how she could use it and this year, she followed through by using it regularly. As a third year teacher, she is striving to improve her instruction by making her lessons both approachable and student focused. Middle level students have many aspects competing for their attention, and she provides multiple activities to keep the students engaged
"Besides traditional assignments, she gives students options for projects including taking a replica doll home for several nights. Students quickly learn about the time and needs of the babies which helps students understand that they are not ready to be parents. At the end of the semester, she allows students to plan a meal for themselves and each can invite a guest from the school or from home. Kids are very excited and proud of their cooking as they serve it. She has worked on creating the standards for FACS as part of a Jeffco team of teachers. This role was another she volunteered to assist her peers with this work.
"For the past year, she has led the student leadership team at NAMS. Her student leadership team welcomes the incoming 7th graders and assist with their first day at school. They present information to reading classes gathering both feedback and setting the tone for student involvement. They picked themes for the dances and managed any sales during the events from knick knacks to food. The Leadership team is charged with choosing the themes for the spirit week. The students perform well in their roles due to the training and modeling Carla provides them. When veteran leadership walked away from this responsibility, Carla and another teacher volunteered to take this responsibility on. They meet 18 times this year before school with their leadership team including creating a float prior to the school year began for the Harvest Festival Parade in Arvada, which had not been done for several years at NAMS.
"This year she participated on the awards committee and was vital to a section of both the 7th grade awards and 8th grade continuation program. She created a picture montage through Animoto which was shown during the continuation program. She had never used this application previously so she had to create the montage while learning the program. She set the piece to music as well. In addition, she created the continuation certificate and designed the template for all of the awards. She regularly updated her fellow teachers with to do lists. She is a driven teacher who is willing to go to great lengths to showcase our students and our school. At the end of the continuation, the students gave a standing ovation to the staff and her work was part of this reason."
Trip Sargent, Principal, North Arvada Middle School
Briant McKellips, Physics and Advanced Placement Physics, D'Evelyn
 "Mr. McKellips’ record of success is second to none. Only two D’Evelyn students (out of more than 1,000) in the history of the school have failed to graduate as a result of failing physics – one cheated on the final and the other refused to do any work the second semester. There have been very few F’s as well. Those juniors earning F’s have been able to pass the course upon retaking it their senior year. Mr. McKellips believes all can succeed and he is willing to put forth the instructional efforts to ensure all do learn in his classroom.
"Mr. McKellips’ students have done very well in the Physics Bowls over the years. In fact, from 2002 through 2007, students have captured 13 first, second, and third place finishes in the CSU and the Colorado School of Mines’ Physics Bowls. His students have also performed very well in the National Science League competitions, which is a collection of written tests prepared for all the science disciplines. His students have earned an 86% pass rate on the AP physics exams since 1997, the first year D’Evelyn had any Juniors to take the AP tests! The number of students taking AP physics exams over the years comprises the largest group of AP students in the entire school.
"While his students consistently out-perform the national average in their AP Physics marks; that pales in comparison to the success that cannot be so easily measured. Students complete their study of physics knowing that they have achieved success in the course through hard work and a commitment to consistent effort, thus enabling them to develop a true sense of self worth or esteem."
Volunteer endeavors:
"He volunteered as the National Honor Society advisor from its inception in 1997 through 2009. He initiated a D’Evelyn Service Corp this year to provide an opportunity for students to conduct community service for varying agencies in the Denver area-a different project each month. From feeding the homeless, to helping Habit for the Humanity, to planting trees at the school, these students have learned the power of their efforts to impact the lives of others. He created this club as a way to engage students in community service for the purpose of serving others and not simply as a resume builder—he wants students to know the importance of helping their community for unselfish purposes as a way to ensure we have servant leaders in the future.
"For the school, Mr. McKellips has served on the D’Evelyn Steering Committee (S/C), the governing board of the school. Despite the 4 hours/month spent in S/C meetings and additional ‘homework hours’ required of this position, he never skipped a beat in responding to his beloved students. He is a department manager and has led several instructional workshop for his department as well as for the entire faculty. He is a committed professional who is willing to share and collaborate with all in order to help students achieve."
Innovation in the classroom:
"Mr. MeKellips incorporates relevant technology into his course room as well as innovative experiences for students to grasp complicated concepts. He has his annual 'bed of nails' demonstration- he lies between a bed of nails in a 'Incredibles' t-shirt and has a fellow instructor use a sledge hammer to break two concrete blocks on the top board—demonstrating surface area concepts. Using stereos for sound and many more common items to convey difficult concepts is a gift of Mr. McKellips. Yes, he also uses the more mundane items like clickers and document cameras, but they seem to be unimpressive when compared to the objects and experiments his constructs for his class labs and demonstrations!"
Superior leadership and motivational skills:
"Mr. McKellips has the unique ability to actually change a student’s attitude toward physics. His “FYSICS IS PFUN” mantra has been learned/remembered by over 1,000 students since 1997, and his students actually come to believe it. Perhaps the best way to describe his leadership and motivational skills is to repeat several items from Mr. McKellips Facebook page, which was started in August 2007 by one of his former students, Mary Rodriguez. Named Mr. McKellips is my Hero’s Wall, the comments assembled there from his former students provide unique evidence of the above criterion. I have listed several as testimony to the skills of this amazing teacher!"
Testimonials:
Eric Conner, a National Merit Finalist winner at D’Evelyn: “I love Mr. McKellips.”
Anthony Marini recalled another of Mr. McKellips favorite mantras, “Beauty is fleeting. Nerdiness is forever!”
Robyn George gave two specific example’s – “He called me his barometer. He said that in every class he picks out one person he uses to gauge his teaching. Not the smartest, and not the slowest, but someone who will usually “get it” if he’s taught it right. He used me as that person, and he said if I looked confused, he knew he needed to teach it better. He (also) told me I should write for scientific magazines, because I had the grasp on the technical science stuff, and the ability to put it into writing to make other people understand it the way not all laboratory scientists can. The man just clearly knew how to motivate, and I’ll never forget him.”
Erin Winslow, a Naval Academy graduate, “Thanks to Mr. McKellips, physics was definitely the easiest class I took in college. I was able to help everyone else who struggled with it. And now I’m flying planes for the Navy and have a degree in aerospace engineering. His encouragement definitely got me on that track.”
Matthew Conn, “I’m grateful that he didn’t let me get away with turning in the junk I called ‘my best.’ I hope he continues challenging underachieving high school students for years to come!”
Caleb Rust, “I’m now a physics major, thanks to Mr. McKellips. Fysics remains Phun.”
Daniel Jibson, “I’ve devoted my education to what he taught me and I owe to him my personal philosophy in pedagogy. He’s the greatest teacher I’ve ever had.”
Rachel Nelson McDonald, “After 1 day (on Facebook) and there are over 100 members, that is pretty amazing. He deserves to know how inspirational he is to so many students.”
Emily Cowhick, I always talk about him as the most inspirational teacher in my life in all my education classes. I can only hope to be a quarter of what he is when I’m a teacher. What an amazing man . . .”
Jacqui Erpelding, “I compare every professor to Mr. McKellips and no one even comes close. His dedication to his students and his love for physics is unmatchable!”
Jessica Caton recalled some more McKellip mantras, “Physics will find you a spouse.” and “Are you ready for another day in which to excel?” “I always love when he said that. It was so positive. I miss him so much! What a great teacher he is.”
Allegra Edwards, “All of my college professors WISH they could be Mr. McKellips.”
Strong record of success:
"In addition to what has already been noted above, Mr. McKellips has also garnered an impressive array of non-monetary awards over the years that reflect admirably on his teaching effectiveness and his positive impact on students. Including:
- Inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi in April 1988
- Teacher of the Year (voted upon by the senior class) in ’98-’99 and ’04-’05;
- District Teacher Awards (bestowed by the Jefferson County School District) in ’99, ’01, and ’04.
- Jamie B. Wilson Excellence in Education Award 2008
- Stanford University Exceptional Teaching recognition 2010
- Certificate of Appreciation from a former student upon his graduation from the Colorado School of Mines with a major in, you guessed it, physics: “Let it Be Known, Mr. Briant McKellips, through his enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for physics inspired me to purse a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics. Without material reward, he bestowed the support and understanding without which my graduation would not have been possible. This certificate is herby conferred to honor and recognize the confidence, devotion, guidance and assistance freely given in helping me attain this important milestone in my life.” This certificate takes center stage on his office wall at D’Evelyn and is an impressive testimonial to Mr. McKellips strong record of success.
"I close with a personal reflection on Mr. McKellips. I have found his enthusiasm for D’Evelyn to be contagious and feel that the standard of excellence he sets for himself in working with students and maintaining the philosophy of our school has helped to inspire my own daily work. He is an individual with high moral standards that will challenge and engage in discussions focused on the betterment of this school and thus my work."
Terry Elliott, Principal, D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School |
