Salem High School Thanks Staff Members

Submitted by Salem High School:

Karen Crandall, the Continuing Education secretary, was selected as the Staff Member of the Month for February. Her nomination by four staff members recognized her for being an asset to the Continuing Education Program and for going above and beyond every day. “Karen is the driving force behind this program. She is the first smiling face you encounter when you come into the office and is often the last reassuring, supportive staff member you interact with at the end of the day. If I did not have Karen’s behind the scenes work, my students would not have access to all of the resources that she provides. Karen is very knowledgeable, and she is truly committed to the students. It is amazing how many times a student comes back after having left the program, and they say it is because they bumped into Karen somewhere around town, and she encouraged them to come back and finish. She is kind, hard-working, efficient, professional, personable, and responsible. When she says she will do something, she does. She is willing to help anyone when questions arise, and she makes the staff and students feel important and empowered. Karen is an asset to our adult education program, and I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving of this honor. She exemplifies the best that a Salem School District employee can be!”

Lauren Carney, a Global Studies teacher, was selected as the Staff Member of the Month for March. Her nomination by a staff member recognized her for the work she does within her team, within her department, and throughout the school. “Lauren worked diligently to help develop presentations for the EDies competition. She collected student work and assessments from teachers to share with the selection committee during the presentation. She is very organized and gave a sincere effort to try to help Salem High School earn this recognition. Lauren has also taken a leadership role on her team and is always the first one to start a conversation about a student in need. She prepares the agenda for our weekly team meetings and takes detailed notes to help coordinate action plans for students. She has outstanding communication with parents and is able to mitigate classroom issues or concerns about students. In the classroom, Lauren differentiates her lessons each week to keep her students interested and engaged. She develops hands-on activities for kinesthetic learners, such as a mock assembly line during her unit on the industrial revolution. Students simulated what it was like to work on an assembly line in a factory, solidifying their understanding not only of this process but also of the impact of the industrial revolution on workers. Activities like this help students to develop a deeper understanding of the content. Lauren is a dedicated teacher who cares about students and staff alike, and she is truly deserving of being recognized as the Salem High School Staff Member of the Month.”

Colleen Tobin, a Science teacher, was selected as the Staff Member of the Month for April. Her nomination by a parent recognized her for being a resource for her daughter and helping her to develop a passion for animal science. “My daughter talks about the influence and support that Ms. Tobin has provided to her in Zoology and in Plant and Animal Science this year. Ms. Tobin’s teaching style has been positive and encouraging for her. My daughter would like to pursue Animal Science or Animal Biology in college, and Ms. Tobin has allowed her to come in early to help with and care for the animals, which has inspired her to continue in this field. She asked Ms. Tobin for guidance on course selections for her senior year so she could have the strongest possible transcript with which to apply to colleges. Ms. Tobin helped her decide between an internship, classes at Pinkerton, and science classes at SHS for her senior year. The classes that she has taken with Ms. Tobin have made her so excited about the animal field, and I like that they have expanded her views on all animal species. I can’t thank Ms. Tobin enough for her time, guidance, and positive energy with my daughter!”

A well-deserved congratulation and thank you to these staff members.