The Mercer Island School District honored its Teachers and Support Staff of the Year at a recognition event on May 31.

The Teachers of the Year are Peggy Aguilar, who teaches world language at Mercer Island High School, Jason Meade, a social studies teacher at Islander Middle School and Susan Hamp, the music specialist at Island Park Elementary.

The two outstanding Support Staff of the Year are Betsy Seiler, technology specialist at Northwood Elementary, and paraeducator Linda Morice.

Aguilar joined MIHS teaching Spanish in 2012 after previously teaching in the Shoreline School District. She also serves as an instructional coach.

“She is a teacher of teachers and a master of teaching students. Students find Peggy to be very professional and caring about them individually. She makes learning in her class fun and experiential for her students,” said MIHS Principal Vicki Puckett.

Her colleagues commented that Aguilar is “a go-to person… efficient yet thoughtful about what she does,” “full of great, new ideas while honoring what has been good in the past” and “the consummate team player… kind, generous with her time and full of energy.”

“Peggy models successful instructional practices in her own classroom. On more than a few occasions, I have used her combined classroom to illustrate how teachers might differentiate learning,” one colleague said. “She also demonstrates how to best use the resources available to her students — students are active in Peggy’s classroom. She varies activities appropriately to keep the classroom energized and attentive.”

Meade has been at Islander for four years and in that time has proven to be an outstanding educator.

“He evokes passion in students and inspires them to do their very best. Students talk about him as the person who unlocks meaning for them and helps them understand why studying history helps them better engage in contemporary issues,” said Co-Principal Mary Jo Budzius.

His colleagues say that he is creative in his lesson design, maximizing both academic and entertainment value, and his demeanor is relaxed but in control – students always know what is expected of them and they work hard to meet those high expectations.

“He is a powerful, show stopping, dedicated, creative and real,” a colleague wrote. ”He is a teacher who is thought provoking and caring and amazing all at the same time.”

Hamp is a product of Mercer Island schools and has taught at Island Park, where her children attended, since 2001.

“Susan has an amazing way with her students,” said Principal David Hoffman. “She guides them patiently and thoughtfully and her classroom management is effective and impressive. She is loved by all students and classrooms always look forward to music.”

Hamp sets high expectations for her students, but gives them multiple opportunities to reach their goals. She encourages them to stretch beyond standard when possible and provides extra support for those needing additional help.

“Beyond that, she instills in students a true love of music and understanding of how important it is to share their gifts,” Hoffman said.

Seiler joined the district nine years ago from Bellevue schools and worked at West Mercer and Lakeridge prior to joining Northwood as its technology specialist this year.

“Betsy arrives to work early, stays late to support student programs and is always willing to do that extra little bit to help ensure staff and students feel supported,” said Technology Director Andreeves Ronser.

She is organized, anticipates classroom and school-wide needs and efficiently supports the whole building, said Northwood Principal Aimee Batliner-Gillette. As the technology specialist charged with opening a new school this year, Seiler’s skills were put to the test.

She had all new equipment to image and ready for student use at the start of the year, at a time when the technology infrastructure of the building was still under construction. When Northwood experienced an unexpected enrollment spike just before school opened, and the technology lab had to be repurposed into a classroom, she made the necessary adjustments, communicated with all the stakeholders and district leaders, and set to work to make it happen.

“She is flexible and always willing to stop what she is doing to answer a question, check out a machine or troubleshoot an application,” Batliner-Gillette said. “She has a solution-oriented mindset and a willingness to make things work for the benefit of students and staff.”

Morice joined the district in 2005 as a special education one-on-one paraeducator, and has worked with a student in his home since 1998. She has said that the relationship is fundamental to reaching children with special needs and giving them the opportunity to learn. She has been working with children with special needs for nearly 40 years.

“Linda is truly dedicated to the independence and success of all students she works with,” said Special Education Director Lindsay Myatich. “She believes strongly that our time with students is valuable and should be used to progress then towards their passions and future goals… She is a creative thinker and is willing to try new ideas, technology or helps come up with an ‘out of the box’ idea that helps shape a student’s program.”