(Baton Rouge, LA)- University View Academy nominated its first-ever slate of Teachers of the Year from the elementary, middle, and high school. Each submitted an application and portfolio to the Louisiana Department of Education for consideration as a candidate for the Louisiana Teacher of the Year in their respective grade levels.
The elementary school candidate is Heather Miller. She has been an educator for 26 years. Her goal is for students to feel confident, creative, and determined. She wants them to grow up embracing mistakes, accepting responsibility, and being kind and respectful to other people, and wants them to look back and remember her as someone who motivated them to be better readers, writers, and people.
The selection from middle school is math teacher Melissa Vital-Liggans. One of 13 teachers in her family, she has taught for 22 years. Her priority of building a strong rapport with families and students is evident and she maintains these connections even after students move on to other grade levels.
Representing the high school is English II teacher Nicole Madere in her 15th year of teaching. Mrs. Madere’s passion for teaching and learning is evident in her classroom instruction and rapport with her students. Her greatest strength is her creativity and innovative strategies for engaging students. In addition to being a classroom teacher, Mrs. Madere also serves on the UVA Literacy Team and is a co-sponsor of the Newspaper Club PawPrints.
This spring, 48 semi-finalists will be selected, with the list whittled down to 18 by May. The overall Teacher of the Year winner will be named in July. Congratulations and good luck to our Teacher of the Year candidates.
