Article Contributed on: 5/8/2009 11:47:55 AM
Panera Bread, in partnership with the Colorado PTA, has awarded Colorado teachers
Mary Derbish from Cottonwood Creek Elementary in Englewood,
Kathryn Donaldson from Shaw Heights Middle School in Westminster, and
Nancy Mann from Clear Sky Elementary in Castle Rock, with its fourth annual "Panera Bread Rising Above Award." The "Panera Bread Rising Above Award" is designed to reward outstanding teachers in Colorado for their commitment to excellence in the classroom. The winners were selected based on a 100-200 word nomination letter submitted by one of their students and an interview focused on their overall teaching philosophy, community involvement and creative teaching techniques.
Derbish, a fifth-grade math and social studies teacher with a background in archeology, helps bring creativity into the classroom through her hands-on teaching approach by role-playing, experimenting and developing team building activities. Derbish was nominated by her 10-year-old student,
Gabrielle Cantor. Donaldson, a middle school musical theater teacher, was nominated by 12-year-old
Julian Puente for her commitment to the arts and her, "ability to reach students and make them believe in themselves." Donaldson is also dedicated to leading and raising money for her school's non-funded After School Drama Club that is designed to help students express themselves creatively. And, Mann, a third-grade teacher, was nominated by former student and present teacher's assistant, 18-year-old
Garrett Spradlin for her mentorship. Mann is known for motivating her young students by blowing edible bubbles, wearing interesting hats, playing music, using humor and dancing to name a few.
"All of our finalists are extraordinary examples of teachers who rise above the rest in Colorado," said Craig Flom, regional operating partner for the Colorado Panera Bread bakery-cafes. "We are proud to honor Mary Derbish, Kathryn Donaldson and Nancy Mann for the outstanding work they do in the classroom and in their communities every day."
As the "Panera Bread Rising Above Award" winners, all three teachers will be recognized at special recognition ceremonies during National Teacher Appreciation Week, May 5-8, at their respective schools. During the ceremony, each teacher's school will receive a $500 school grant, a Panera Bread gift card valued at $100 and a Panera Bread bagel breakfast for their class. As a thanks for nominating their teachers, all three students will each be awarded with a Nintendo DS™ and a Brain Age game.
Panera Bread is locally owned and operated by Breads of the World, L.L.C. Breads of the World currently owns and operates all 24 Colorado Panera Bread locations, including three Boulder County locations in Boulder, Superior and Longmont; 15 locations in the Denver metro area; four in Colorado Springs; and one each in Fort Collins and Loveland. To find the nearest bakery-cafe, visit
www.panera-colorado.com.
About Panera Bread
Panera Bread is locally owned and operated by Breads of the World, L.L.C. The company founders studied the art of bread making extensively, traveling the country to learn directly from some of the best bakers in the world. Panera Bread offers two lines of breads, Artisan and Sourdough. Its hearty, handcrafted Artisan loaves are baked in traditional European-style stone deck ovens. Its tangy, robust Sourdough breads are made from a carefully nurtured Sourdough starter. Panera Bread uses only the highest quality ingredients baked fresh every day, in every bakery-cafe, using no preservatives. To find the nearest bakery-cafe, visit
www.panera-colorado.com.
About Colorado PTA
Colorado PTA's vision is to make every child's potential a reality. The Mission of its 32,000+ members statewide is to be a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child. With an all volunteer organization, with only one paid staff in our Wheat Ridge office, we serve our membership who promote purposes such as the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship; to raise the standards of home life; to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth; to bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth; and to develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education.