Thursday, January 3, 2019

A Tribute to Educators: Remarks from the 2018 Hanover Education Foundation Gala

Teacher of the Year, Sara Salvato's, Remarks:
Good evening! I am so honored to be here tonight alongside so many phenomenal educators and community supporters. As a third generation graduate of Hanover County Public Schools and a first generation college graduate, I am extremely honored to have been chosen as the 2019 Hanover County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.  I think it speak volumes to the incredible educators that I encountered while attending Hanover Schools, several of whom are in attendance tonight.  But I cannot take all of the credit for this award--it isn’t about me. It’s about the community that we have created in Hanover County to make sure that all of our students’ needs are met on a daily basis.

I am very blessed to teach in the Lee-Davis functional academics program.  You might be wondering, what is functional academics? Most of my students have intellectual disabilities and/or autism; however, I don’t see it that way.  I see students that walk into my room each day excited to learn and to build on the abilities that they have. I see students that have talents and dreams.  I see students that, even when they are having a bad day, can still make others smile.  I see students that push themselves to get better at things that are difficult for them.  When given the right tools, love, and support, students have the opportunity to be the best that they can be.

There are two programs that I am very proud of that have brought Lee-Davis together as a community.  These programs promote acceptance and inclusion within our school.  They also helped us earn recognition through the Special Olympics organization as Game Changers.  This award is given to schools that promote programs that encourage engagement, interaction, and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. 

The first is All-Stars Basketball and Cheerleading.  This program is sponsored by our Varsity Girls Basketball Team and our Varsity Cheerleaders.  All-Stars gives students in the functional academics program a way to represent Lee-Davis by being included on a sports team.  All-Stars typically is a six week season, and the students play three home games and three away games. Typically, when the games are played, the whole school attends.  My students particularly enjoy this because they can show off their talent on the court or sidelines! The students of Lee-Davis enjoy watching and cheering on my students so much that whenever one of our former students, Rashaad, would sink a shot, the whole school would join in with his signature cheer: Rashaad would run down the sidelines with both hands up yelling “Yes, Yes, Yes!”  This cheer has been adopted by our school and can be seen at many of our sporting events.  The students don’t do it to make fun of him; they do it in support of him!

However, the program that I am most proud of is our school based business called Salvato’s Potatoes, and not just because it is named after me (though my husband argues it’s named after him). The reason I am so proud of this business is the opportunity it gives our students. Salvato’s Potatoes, now a staple at Lee-Davis and Stonewall Jackson Middle School, is a student run school-based business that works with students with various abilities to give them the opportunity to obtain important vocational skills such as: communication skills, time management skills, leadership skills, mathematics skills, and culinary skills.  These skills enable students to be more confident and competitive for employment.  Students with disabilities have an extremely low employment rate.  In fact, the national employment rate for people with disabilities is 35% with Virginia’s rate slightly better at 37%.  Together, we are making an attempt to break this trend within our community. I am proud to share that the employment rate for the functional academics program at Lee-Davis is 95%.  Our business idea has been shared with others in the community and throughout the state.

I would like to encourage all of our business sponsors to take some time and visit our schools.  There are some incredible things going on in all of our classrooms.  Our kids love showing off what they are learning.  I would like to extend a personal invitation for you to come visit Salvato’s Potatoes for lunch sometime.  I can promise you won’t leave hungry.  

Not only am I a special education teacher at Lee-Davis, I am also proud of my contributions to the school community outside of the classroom.  In the evenings, I can be found out on one of the many athletic fields at Lee-Davis helping athletes and their coaches.  As an athletic trainer, I am responsible for the prevention of injuries, clinical evaluation, and diagnosis of injuries, as well as immediate care, treatment, rehabilitation, and reconditioning of  injuries.  While the job of athletic training seems fairly simple, it is very challenging--every day is different, and no two injuries are the same.  I am also the point of contact for athletic concussions at Lee-Davis; I advocate for student-athletes, communicate with their families, and assists students with returning back to the classroom and athletic fields as quickly and safely as possible.  Through my efforts, Lee-Davis was recognized as a Safe Sport School through The National Athletic Trainers Association and this past football season, our players were selected to promote having athletic trainers at every school by adorning Virginia AT decals on their football helmets. During the Fall season, which begins in early August, I spend hours upon hours with our football team.  On Thursday and Friday nights, I can be seen getting my steps in on the sidelines following the plays and crossing my fingers that everyone stays healthy and that no one goes down on the field.  At only 5’1” I always joke around with my athletes that they don’t want the fans to see little old me picking them up off the field for a cramp...and of course their answer is to always jump right up!  But in all seriousness when an athlete goes down on the field, I know that I have the trust of the athletes and their parents to make the right decision in how to help them. Hanover County is one of only a few school districts in Virginia that directly employs athletic trainers. This is an extremely important practice as student athletes have access to us during the day.  It also creates less turnover of healthcare providers in our schools, which gives us the opportunity to create relationships with athletes and their families.  

On behalf of all of the educators in Hanover County, I would like to thank our business sponsors and the Hanover Education Foundation for the support that they provide on a continuous basis to all of our schools in Hanover County.  I would like to give a special thank you to Mr. Owen Matthews, Mr. Scott Clemons, and the rest of Kings Dominion for sponsoring our table tonight.  I would also like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Michael Patrick and their employees at Patrick Buick GMC in Ashland for recently putting me in a beautiful 2018 Buick Encore.  I would also like to thank my amazing and supportive principal, Mr. Charles Stevens, who eight years ago saw something special in me and hired me to be a part of the Lee-Davis family. I would also like to thank my husband, Stephen, and my parents, Wanda and Rusty Edwards, all of whom never let me give up on my dreams.  Finally, I would like to thank the many families that I have had the privilege to work with over the last eight years as a teacher and athletic trainer at Lee-Davis! Hanover is a great community to live and teach in, and I couldn’t imagine teaching or raising my family anywhere else.  Thank you all for a spectacular and memorable evening.  


Superintendent's Remarks:
In late August, as has become our tradition, faculty of each building gathered to view the new school year’s convocation video.  As always, Mr. Brian Capaldo led a team who produced a professional quality video that was fun and engaging, but it also told a very important story.  This year’s theme was a simple two word question: “What If?”  As the opening narrative played out, students discussed the impact that teachers have had upon them and “what if” every child was able to experience the same positive impact from a relationship with a trusted adult.  We heard from teachers on their vision for being able to determine how each student learns best and then, in turn, being able to provide that differentiated instruction.  We were told that a little humor can go a long way, and finally if we worked to make our “What Ifs” a reality, then we would live up to our mission of inspiring, empowering and leading this generation of learners to do great things and perhaps to even want to become teachers themselves.

The truth is that we are fortunate to have students, teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, county leaders, business partners, and community members who make it their mission every day to make what if statements become “We Did It” realities.  I believe this is why Hanover County Public Schools continues to be a leader in public education. However, it is unmistakable that we live in divisive times, and during these times public education frequently becomes the target of critics.  Certainly, there is no institution without faults and our chosen profession is no different.  Nevertheless, I think it is important, now more than ever, that those who choose this profession feel empowered to describe the life-changing work that takes place in every building…every day.  Before I go any further, I want to reassure you that I do intend to spend time critiquing the critics tonight.  Rather, my intent is to highlight just a small fraction of the goodness that takes place within our walls and in our community by humble, dedicated, and talented educators that do it not to draw attention to themselves, but to strengthen our community.

Here a mere few of the many examples which have inspired me:

I’m inspired when I see students and teachers imagine, “What if we could make sure that every student is connected and has a friend at school” when our Carpentry program at The Hanover Center for Trades and Technology builds “Buddy Benches,” which in turn are decorated by Cosmetology students and then given to our local elementary schools, so that students can sit on them at recess when they want another student to befriend them and play with them.

Last year, a student at Hanover High School imagined, “What if we could give every student who suffers from anxiety and depression the resources they need to assist in battling increasingly common mental health challenges.  Through the assistance of administration and a visionary counselor that student is now making it her mission to reach every student at neighboring Oak Knoll Middle, while also running small groups and assisting students who need more intensive supports to know where to find them.


I’m inspired by the cafeteria staff at Beaverdam Elementary who wondered “What if taking just a few minutes to write encouraging messages on of all things a banana might brighten the day of the students who buy one.”  So they did…and students’ days became better.  Other nutrition services employees began a summer feeding program at Mechanicsville Elementary, this past summer, providing over 1,500 meals free of charge, in just 14 days of operation, to students and community members, as we collectively imagined “What if we could do our part to help prevent hunger in our community?”

Keeping with a similar theme, this fall, teachers at Patrick Henry High School teamed up with about 50 students to participate in Rise Against Hunger’s World Food Day and were part of breaking a Guinness World Record for most meals packaged in 5 minutes.

At Pole Green Elementary, 1st and 4th grade teachers have led their students in the “Village Project” to work on community service work for residents at a local senior adult care facility.  They took a field trip to play games, give out prizes, sing songs and bring good cheer to the residents. 

I’m inspired by The Georgetown School and Kersey Creek Elementary School, as they have partnered for a Mentorship Program. Each month, students from The Georgetown School visit a class at Kersey.  The students get to know each other and work on various projects for the community, including making care packages for Hilliard House, a shelter for mothers and their children who need a safe and supportive place to stay temporarily. The students work together to decorate bags with positive messages and fill them with snacks. The Georgetown School students gain leadership skills and a passion for serving their community, while our elementary students benefit from the positive modeling by our high school students. 

And I’m inspired by our Teacher of the Year, Sara Salvato, Special Education teacher at Lee-Davis High, who you will hear from later this evening.  For several years, she has run “Salvato’s Potatoes.”  Her students have learned invaluable skills including food preparation, math skills and interpersonal communication, all while spreading happiness and great food throughout the building.

So, here is my own “What If” challenge to all of you here tonight.  What if we found a way to celebrate the selfless, tireless work that these incredible educators engage in, not once a year, but throughout the year?  By doing so, we in turn celebrate the accomplishments of our children and the long-standing strength of our community.  What if our voices became a collective beacon of positivity, with a light brighter and more pervasive than the topics that divide us.  I cannot think of a better way to keep our community strong, to ensure our future economic security and to set an example for our children, than to support the educators who support them.

I want to thank each of you here tonight for your support and for your belief in the great work of Hanover County Public Schools.  And to our educators, thank you for being you and never, ever stop wondering, What If?  It’s the first step to making our world a little brighter.