June 02, 2016
During the 51st Commencement Exercises the three highest faculty awards were presented by Head of School, Mr. Aaron Schubach. Additionally, those faculty/staff completing 10 years of service to the school were honored with 10-year chairs during professional week and celebrations continued to honor longstanding colleagues set to retire. Thank you to the incredible faculty/staff who works tirelessly to advance the mission of the school and to positively impact the lives of students.
Sarah H. Elizabeth Hoiles Outstanding Faculty Award
Sarah Hoiles graduated from CSS in the class of 1994. In July 1997 the family and the school established an annual faculty award in her name. Sarah’s sister, Gail Hoiles Sanchez , Class of 1998, and her daughter Regan were welcomed to the podium. Gail described the award created in honor of her sister, Sarah Hoiles.
The recipient of this special award has taught at CSS for at least 3 years and has provided exemplary service to the CSS community. During his/her tenure he or she has demonstrated commitment above and beyond the standard job requirements and has advocated for CSS both on and off-campus. Not only does he or she show an enthusiasm for teaching, but also for learning. The Sarah Elizabeth Hoiles Outstanding Faculty Award is presented to the faculty member whose service, commitment, and enthusiasm serves as a role model for all faculty and students at The Colorado Springs School.
“This year’s Sarah Hoiles Award winner is known among his colleagues and our students as a hard worker and a person who is deeply committed to the mission of the school. During the nomination process this spring, the CSS faculty and staff appreciated his intelligence, work ethic, and deep commitment to the school. One colleague noted that he is “literally the glue that keeps this place together.”
He does an excellent job on a large job; we are blessed with a 28-acre campus and 8 buildings. Many visitors to our campus are impressed with both the physical beauty of the buildings and grounds and the meticulous way they are maintained. Alumni frequently tell me that never in the school’s history has the campus looked better.
While not an educator in a classic sense, he is a teacher at heart. During his 13 years of service he has been a large part of the school’s student programs and has made significant contributions to education at CSS. He works with our students for service day, occasionally co-leads Middle School seminars and, for the past two summers, he has supervised CSS upper school students who’ve worked on voluntary community service projects over the summer.
While his straightforward communication style can, sometimes, come across as gruff, his fundamental concern for the school, its students, and stewardship of our physical assets are always present in his thoughts. Those of us who work closely with him appreciate his intelligence and common sense. The lessons he teaches our students about hard work, the importance of high expectations, and the satisfaction of a job well done are just as important as college preparatory academics.”
Mr. Gil Vasquez is the recipient of the 2016 Sarah H. Hoiles Outstanding Faculty Award.
Edward E. Ford Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award
This award is given to a faculty member who has taught at CSS for a minimum of five years, epitomizes CSS’s concept of teaching, is committed to the growth and learning of students both in and out of the classroom, is an example to other teachers and has devoted a significant portion of his or her time to classroom studies.
“The 2016 recipient of the Edward E. Ford Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award joined the CSS faculty six ago. She teaches in two divisions, the Middle School and the Upper School. An avid reader, a clear writer, and a master of the technical aspects of grammar, syntax and written communication, she holds our students and herself to a high standard. And the results are clear. Students in her 6th and 8th grade English classes learn a great deal. Her 11th grade AP composition students earned high scores even in her first year teaching the course.
This teacher excels in preparing dynamic lessons with clear learning objectives. She carries a heavy teaching load, and spends the long hours necessary to offer feedback and diligently edit student work. Her letters of recommendations for CSS Upper School students have elicited thank you notes from college admissions officers. She teaches works of literature that stretch our students understanding of the world and of themselves.
A firm believer in the mission of the school, she consistently puts students in the center of her teaching, spearheading many interdisciplinary projects. Author’s evening, an event when students read a polished piece of their writing to large group in a coffeehouse environment, has become a rite of passage for middle school students. She frequently thinks about how to improve our program, create informal conversations amongst faculty and staff, and to promote the school to prospective families.”
Ms. Anne Hatch is the 2016 recipient of the Edward E. Ford Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award.
Mary Flynn Flemke Leadership in Education Award
The Mary Flynn Flemke Leadership in Education Award recognizes outstanding individual accomplishment in the education of students and the advancement of the school. The award is given to a faculty member who leads by example, who is fiercely loyal to the school, who exceeds the traditionally high standards of our faculty, who combines the managerial skills to make sure that things get done with the leadership skills to make sure the right things get done.
“The Mary Flynn Flemke Leadership in Education award recognizes outstanding individual accomplishment in the education of students and the advancement of the school. The award is given to a faculty member who leads by example, who is fiercely loyal to the school, who exceeds the traditionally high standards of our faculty, who combines the managerial skills to make sure that things get done with the leadership skills to make sure the right things get done.
The 2016 recipient of the Mary Flynn Flemke Leadership in Education Award joined our faculty ten years ago. She also teaches in two divisions, the Middle School and the Children’s School. She is a strong teacher and a dynamic personality whose energy and drive had made significant contributions to our World Languages program.
As all her students could tell you, her courses are known for their energy, student engagement and the expectation that every student speak Spanish! Her infectious demeanor makes the intricacies of the Spanish language and culture come alive for her students.
More than just a master teacher, this faculty member is generous with her time. She is the chairperson of our World Languages department—routinely noted as one of the most excellent programs in the school. She frequently dedicates time to students after school to provide them with the help they need. She is also a leader in our advisory program and devoted to guiding and assisting her advisees.
Well rounded in her skills and background, she excels at leading outdoor education seminars and she is frequently assigned to lead trips to beautiful locations, far from campus including two of our most distinctive programs, Middle School Seminars and Walkabout. Students in her care appreciate her energy and professionalism.”
Mrs. Mariana Pereda is the winner of the 2016 Mary Flynn Flemke Leadership Award.
10-Year Chair Ceremony
Following end-of-year ceremonies and during teacher in-service days, 10-year chairs were presented to those faculty/staff who have dedicated 10 years of service to CSS. The individuals included Marta Kunze (Spanish), Anne Taylor (History), Bill Jensen (Facilities), John Longo (English), Ron Marko (Finance), Mariana Pereda (Spanish), and Hans Wolfe (Art).
“Retirement” Celebrations
Last week, the school also honored two esteemed colleagues retiring from CSS with a festive end-of-school Ice Cream Social on the Quad. Mr. Sam Johnson (Science Teacher) completed 25 years and gave a rousing performance of his famous Moth Song and Mr. Will Biedermann (Physical Education Teacher) was applauded for his 23 years of service. CSS is a better school as a result of the contributions of Sam and Will.
