Comer, Raper and Gordon elected tops in Madison City Schools
Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler, second from left, presents checks for $5,000 to Joan Comer, from left, Jeremy Raper and Fiona Gordon. (CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON – Joan Comer, Jeremy Raper and Fiona Gordon have been elected as top employees in their job divisions in Madison City Schools. They faced the most critical judges … their peers.
Comer, Raper and Gordon each received $5,000 from the district at Institute Day on Aug. 12. Comer and Raper now are eligible for the State Department of Education’s selection of teacher of the year in Alabama.
Comer is the 2012-13 “District Elementary Teacher of the Year.” She teaches sixth-grade reading and language arts at Columbia Elementary School.
“I live for those ‘light-bulb moments’ when students realize they can conquer their reading barriers by using strategies I teach them,” Comer said.
Jeremy Raper of Bob Jones High School earned the nod as “District Secondary Teacher of the Year.” Raper teaches principles of engineering and advanced engineering design in the Engineering for Tomorrow (E4T) Academy.
Raper takes pride in sponsoring the Anime Club, Technology Student Association and robotics, rocketry and Scholars’ Bowl teams. Last year, his advanced engineering students presented real-world proposals, revisions and final plans for design work at Huntsville Botanical Garden.
Fiona Gordon at Madison Elementary School was elected “District Staff Member of the Year.” “Mrs. Gordon takes her job as a resource assistant very seriously and is always willing to go the extra mile,” Principal Dr. Timothy Scott said.
“Her willingness to search for ways to help improve the situation in the classroom has been instrumental in making the program at the Learning Academy very successful for students, parents and teachers,” Scott said.
“Classroom teachers in the Learning Academy have stated (frequently) that Mrs. Gordon is the glue that holds the whole program together because of her positive demeanor and the sincere love she has for each student,” he said.
Students are generous with “big hugs” in showing gratitude to Gordon. “She approaches each day with a smile and positive attitude that helps promote the program’s overall vision,” Scott said.
