Oakview Teacher Honored as Middle School Educator of the Year

While growing up, teacher idolized three people: his science teacher, guidance counselor and coach.

Now, he has found a way to merge what he learned from all three people and become a compassionate science teacher who prides himself on his involvement in the school district and building positive relationships with his students.

For these reasons, Zoolkoski, 38, will be honored as Educator of the Year later this month at the Michigan Association of Middle School Educators conference in Warren. Zoolkoski, an Auburn Hills resident, said he attends the conference annually and marveled as other teachers received the award in years past.

“I always sit there and think, 'Wow, that person’s awesome. I can’t imagine ever being recognized like that,'” Zoolkoski said. “So this is a great honor.”

What makes Zoolkoski a great educator

Zoolkoski, who was also recognized as Lake Orion’s middle school Teacher of the Year for the 2003-04 school year, said being given the award is truly humbling. He has worked within Lake Orion Community Schools since 1997. The fact that it was , former principal of Oakview, who nominated him, made it even more special, he said. Zoolkoski worked with Seppanen since 2002 when Oakview opened.

“We’ve known each other a long time and I’ve always really respected her commitment to middle grades education,” he said. “So it’s doubly an honor to know that she thinks enough of me to think that I deserve something like this.”

Current Oakview Principal has nothing but nice things to say about Zoolkoski. “I think he is really deserving of the award. Carl is what’s right about public education,” Bernia said. “He is the teacher that parents want their child to have.”

Likewise, Mary Joe Burchart, president of the Lake Orion Community Schools Board of Education, praised Zoolkoski at a school board meeting last month. “That man has such a passion for middle school students,” she said. “I can’t think of anybody else in the state who would deserve it more than him.”

Two local moms also had great things to say about Zoolkoski, affectionately known as "Mr. Z."

Zoolkoski has taught all three of Lake Orion resident Cathy Schepper’s sons. Currently he teaches her youngest son, Matt, and Schepper said she will be disappointed next year when she won’t have any more children in line to have him as a teacher.

“He’s just a huge motivator, he’s a ton of fun and he makes learning fun for kids,” she said. “I love all the teachers at Oakview, but he just stands out.”

Jean Wharton of Oakland Township appreciates that Zoolkoski works tirelessly to lend a hand for any local good cause and she's also seen him stand up for people who are being treated unfairly.

“He’s really smart, really interested in each kid he works with. He’s approachable, really kind … and when he leads an activity everybody knows things will be done right,” Wharton said. “You also know that he’s going to provide motivation that brings out the best in students.”

Wharton’s two sons, William and Thomas, had Zoolkoski when they were in seventh grade and were greatly influenced by him, Wharton said. She noted that he sets an excellent example for the kids, something that his students end up wanting to live up to.

“He approaches his work as both a profession and a labor of love and people just feel it and they respond to it,” Wharton said.

Approaching teaching in a unique way

Zoolkoski currently teaches seventh grade science classes as well as nutrition and wellness. He started off his career as a guidance counselor at Scripps, but soon found himself frustrated with the administration requirements of the position and jumped at the opportunity to put his earth and space science degree to use and move into the classroom. 

“It was a much better fit,” he said. “As a counselor I wasn’t able to be fully devoted to students and I didn’t like that.”

Still the Pennsylvania native doesn’t regret snagging the master's degree in school counseling because it has had a large hand in the type of teacher he is today. Coming from a counseling background, Zoolkoski approaches teaching in a unique fashion. He knows the importance of building relationships and that it takes time to build trust in a teacher. For that reason, Zoolkoski focuses much of his time on differentiated instruction and supporting students, trying to engage and meet the needs of all types of learners to complete a task. Much of his ability to do that stems from being organized and planning ahead, he said.

“I’m very student centered in how I operate my classroom … almost to a fault,” he said. “I am just really confident in what I believe kids need.”

Students need relationships with adults they can trust and after they have achieved the desired level of trust, then learning will become easier for them, he noted. Still, some students are harder to reach than others. Some are greatly disengaged in schools and convinced they are failures, but Zoolkoski is committed to figuring out what buttons to push for each individual student, because every kid’s story is unique, he said.

Involvement in and out of the classroom

One thing that has reinforced his love for teaching over the years is the positive feedback he has received over the years from former students and students exiting his class at the end of the school year.

“I enjoy getting feedback from the kids after they leave my class … the amount of positive feedback I’ve gotten … that’s just awesome,” he said. “I tuck it away and keep it as fuel for knowing what I’m doing can have a positive impact.”

One program that Zoolkoski coordinates and is passionate about is the Student Teacher Affective Relationship (STAR) program. Every classroom begins with STAR for a half-hour each morning as an opportunity to talk with each other and get to know other kids and teachers in the building.

Along with coordinating STAR, Zoolkoski also coaches track and cross-country, is the middle school representative for Lake Orion’s sex-ed advisory committee and aids the . He's also involved with the at the school and helps with the youth ministry at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

“I really admire Carl because of how above and beyond he always goes,” Bernia said. “He always has such a positive energy. When you go somewhere and somebody loves his or her job you can tell and that’s how it is with Carl. It’s truly exciting and inspiring to be around.”