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    Lindsey Williams, a first-grade teacher at Lee-Hamilton Elementary School, was pleasantly surprised when district administrators entered her classroom with balloons and flowers. The administrators’ visit was to inform Williams that she had been selected the Ferguson-Florissant School District (FFSD) 2018 Teacher of the Year.

Williams, is a product of the FFSD. She attended FFSD elementary, middle and high schools, graduating from McCluer High School. She has been employed in the district for 11 years.

“Mrs. Williams has high expectations for each of her students. She spends the beginning of the year establishing her classroom climate and culture that immediately encourages her students to be dedicated scholars in their quest for learning,” said Dr. Jill Loyet, principal of Lee-Hamilton. “As you watch students engaged in their learning, you see and hear students pushing themselves in their reading levels, writing about their reading, and progressing in their addition math facts.”

Dr. Loyett went on to say Williams’ students display an excitement about learning and sharing how they have progressed in their reading levels and math facts.

Williams’ approach to teaching is to “reach the whole child” by combining hands-on learning with literacy. She’s built various community connections, including with the St. Louis Chapter of Love on a Leash, which brings in service dogs as a source of therapy and literacy for the first graders. Once a month, the trained service dogs are brought into the classroom and lessons on animal safety are provided.

The first graders read to the dogs in a non-threatening and comfortable learning environment. Volunteers from the Crossing Church serve as “reading champions” to assist students in their reading skills. Through this partnership, students have gained an enormous amount of confidence, self-worth and shown academic gains.

“Knowing that someone cares for them (the students) outside of their home environment has been huge,” said Williams. “I have created a learning environment in which I would love for my own young children to be a part of and the kind of space that I would like to be a part of as a young child.” Williams also believes that family engagement and positive relationships are an important element of student success. So much so, that she spends time during the summer making home visits, introducing herself to her new students and their families in a comfortable and relaxed environment.

“Taking the extra time to get to know my students and their families has definitely helped me form positive partnerships between families and the community and school in which they reside,” said Williams.

As a model teacher, Williams is one whom newer teachers look to for guidance. “My first year at Lee-Hamilton, I immediately knew that she was an effective teacher from a glimpse of her teaching. I decided to take time during my planning time to watch her teach because I wanted to be the effective teacher that she is,” said Elise Hoke, a first-grade teacher at Lee-Hamilton, who is in her third year of teaching.

Not resting on her laurels, Williams is an educator who is always open to participating in opportunities to enhance her teaching delivery. In June of 2017, Williams was awarded a scholarship through EdPlus and used those funds to attend what she calls a “remarkable and life-changing professional development” at Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, GA. While at the Academy, Williams witnessed first-hand the transformative methods and techniques implemented by the school that are embraced and replicated throughout the nation.

“My mission is to deliver the highest quality educational experiences with unconditional love through advanced rigor, engaging teaching methods, and passionate climate and culture,” said Williams.

PHOTO CAPTION: Lindsey Williams, a first-grade teacher at Lee-Hamilton Elementary School, selected the Ferguson-Florissant School District (FFSD) 2018 Teacher of the Year.

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