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At its most recent Board of Education meeting, the Hazelwood School District recognized the district’s annual Emerson Excellence in Teaching nominees and winners. Emerson Excellence winners are chosen for their outstanding contributions to the teaching profession and to the students they teach.

The 2006 elementary winner, Julie Basinger, teaches sixth grade at Lawson Elementary. This year’s secondary winner is Nancy Doerr, who teaches Family and Consumer Science at Hazelwood East High School.

Both women, along with many of this year’s nominees, came to the board meeting to receive their honors.

“I was thrilled,” Doerr said. “I am very excited to be able to represent East at the district level.”

Basinger echoed the sentiment. “I’m just elated,” she said. “It means I have had a lot of people, especially at Lawson, help me.”

Every year, Superintendent Chris Wright and a few administrators surprise the Emerson winners with flowers, hugs, photographs and the events are videotaped for the cable channel. Some people quip that the only thing the winners lack are the oversized checks.

“The most important thing for me as a teacher is my relationship with the students,” Doerr said. She has taught at East for 11 years. “Once a good rapport is established and a positive environment of mutual respect is achieved in the classroom, learning will be greatly enhanced.”

Basinger’s students witnessed their teacher’s win and their excitement carried over into their classroom.

“They kept saying, ‘We’re awesome’,” Basinger said with a smile. “I kept telling them, ‘You can’t have a good teacher without good students.’”

This is the 18th year for the program, which recognizes educators from around the metropolitan area for the essential role they play in shaping students’ lives. Basinger and Doerr will be formally honored at a banquet at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Clayton on Nov. 1.

The other Hazelwood School District nominees are:
Armstrong Elementary – Ginny Andres
Arrowpoint Elementary – Nichol Schoeneweis
Barrington Elementary – Jason Cox
Brown Elementary – Deborah Rhyne
Hazelwood Central High School – Donna Munro
Cold Water Elementary – Luke Dix
Early Childhood Education – Sarah Kirchoff
GALACTIC – Gloria Hardrict-Ewing
Garrett Elementary – Renee Finke
Grannemann Elementary – Barb Davis
Hazelwood Middle School – Verina Ruiz
Jamestown Elementary – Sue O’Brien
Jana Elementary – Carrie Davis
Jury Elementary – Kevin McGreer
Keeven Elementary – Brenda Nuckolls
Kirby Middle School – Vicky Mount
Larimore Elementary – Rebecca Wilderson
Lusher Elementary – Lisa Williams
McCurdy Elementary – Sarah Tobias
McNair Elementary – Judy Heuring
Russell Elementary – Lynne Smith
Townsend Elementary – Carmen Buchanan
Twillman Elementary – Taewan Jemerson
Walker Elementary – Shelby Hogg
Hazelwood West High School – Susan Tusinski
Hazelwood West Middle School – Julia Schwartz
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