L10⎮TORONTO STAR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 ON ON1

>>WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY

Like many proud parents, Anne Marie Kayecried at her son’s high school graduation.

But for Kaye, that pride was tinged withsadness. Her son Evan, 21, had grown too oldto be taught by his favourite teacher, NicoleDixon.

“I cried buckets,” she said. “I knew shecouldn’t have him in her classroom anymoreand I wanted her to teach him forever.”

Dixon is one of many special educationteachers nominated for the 2012 Star TeacherAward. Parents wrote powerful letters to theStar describing the impact of such teacherson their children’s lives.

Kaye said the three years Dixon taught herson, at the MukiBaum Treatment Centre inConcord, Ont., were the happiest of his life.

“He’d be at home on weekends, saying,‘Teacher! Bus! School!’ He was smiling whenhe said it. He couldn’t wait to go back.”

Evan is developmentally delayed, autistic,an insulin-supported diabetic and has mildcerebral palsy. He is essentially non-verbaland must live in a group home on weekdays.

“He’s had so many strikes against him in hisshort life. Most teachers would be over-whelmed,” Kaye said.

But Dixon, who has been working in specialeducation for six years, was determined togive Evan more independence.

She and her staff taught him to use thebathroom by himself, no small feat for some-one with Evan’s disabilities. Then, this year,he enjoyed his first overnight camping trip.He is now in an adult day program.

“Evan has this amazing smile and energy.

He’s the kind of student who makes anyteacher’s job worthwhile,” Dixon said.

She said there are three qualities that specialeducation teachers must possess: patience,compassion and, above all, communicationskills. She updated Kaye on her son’s progressseveral times a week through email andphone calls.

“To totally understand a student, you haveto have a connection with the family,” Dixonsaid. “Parents know their kids best: what trig-gers them, what motivates them.”

The nomination letters that flooded the Starnewsroom reveal the close bond many par-ents forge with special education teachers.

There were too many nominees to be recog-nized here, but among them are GrahamWorkman of Cherry Tree Public School, BethCrew of Silver Pines Public School and NancyDye, a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearingwith the Toronto District School Board.

Christina Mathura was nominated by fourparents for her ISP-autism program at EarlGrey Senior Public School.

Shari Lapena said Mathura completelychanged her son Christopher’s attitude to-ward school. The gifted boy was diagnosedwith high-functioning autism in Grade 5 buthe was bullied and had trouble completinghis assignments. He entered Mathura’s classin Grade 7 and within a few weeks seemedhappier and more motivated. By the end ofthe year, he had a 90 per cent average.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Parentsdevelopclose ties

Nicole Dixon, whohas been nomi-nated for a StarTeacher Award,accompanieddisabled studentEvan Kaye on hisfirst field trip.

PHOTO COURTESY NICOLE DIXON

Children with special needscall for patience, compassionand especially communication

LAURA KANE STAFF REPORTER

The Ontario Principals’ Council congratulates teachers on

WORLD TEACHERS’ DAYFor making a difference in the lives of kids and thefuture of our province. We’re proud to work withyou everyday for a strong public education system.

Christina Ackerman .........St. Gregory CS/Our Lady of Fatima, PictonJohn Adachi ......................George Harvey SS, YorkJanna Adair.......................Lambton-Kingsway JMS, TorontoTheresa Adams.................Roselawn PS, Richmond HillMargaret Allen ..................Edenbrook PS, BramptonBill Allen ............................Three Valleys PS, North YorkDebra Allison ....................Beaverton PS, BeavertonArthur Allore .....................St. Gregory CS, PictonAngela Antonopoulos.......Brisdale PS, BramptonFrank Arabia......................Bennington Heights ES, East YorkNancy Atrill .......................Kindree PS, MississaugaBiagio Aulino.....................Father Bressani CHS, VaughanElizabeth Ballantyne ........Emily Carr SS, WoodbridgeEmily Bandini....................Roland Michener PS, AjaxCraig Barton......................James S. Bell JMS, TorontoPeter Beamish ..................St. Joseph’s College School, TorontoLeanne Bellec ...................Weston Memorial JPS, TorontoKari Bergerson..................Avondale Alternative ES, TorontoVeena Bhatia.....................Macklin PS, TorontoAmanda Boughtflower .....Thornlea SS, ThornhillRyan Branoff .....................Westminster PS, VaughanShelly Brennan .................Marc Garneau CI, North YorkSusan Brioux.....................St Joseph ES, OakvillePat Bucci ...........................York Catholic District School BoardSerena Bufalino ................Thistletown Regional Centre, KingLindsay Butsan ................Brookside PS, ScarboroughCasey Cabral .....................Divine Mercy CES, VaughanToni Cadieux .....................Queenston Drive PS, MississaugaJane Cameron...................Goldcrest PS, BramptonJacqueline Cane ...............Knob Hill PS, ScarboroughMira Carniol ......................Eastern Commerce CI, TorontoJoel Caslick.......................Belle River District High School, Belle RiverVicki Caume ......................Courtice North PS, ClaringtonChihymn Chan ..................East York CI, TorontoDale Cimolai......................St. Nicholas CES, NewmarketOlga Cioci ..........................Blue Willow PS, WoodbridgeElizabeth Clarke ...............Meadowvale PS, ScarboroughMargaret Clay-Thorne ......St. Peter ES, MiltonSally Cohen .......................Louis-Honoré Fréchette PS, ThornhillKatie Coombs ...................Lord Lansdowne PS, TorontoSean Coroza ......................Central Peel SS, BramptonAdam Cox..........................Emily Carr SS, WoodbridgeBeth Crew..........................Silver Pines PS, Richmond HillTatyana Dachuck ..............Father Frederick McGinn CES, Richmond HillDeb Daly............................Dunbarton High School, PickeringStan Dankevy....................Sir William Mulock SS, NewmarketCeleste De Almeida..........Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton CSS, TorontoJocelyne Desjardins .........Academie Catholique Mere-teresa, HamiltonGurnam Dhillon.................Lincoln M. Alexander SS, MississaugaAngela Di Tommaso .........St. Augustine CS, DownsviewFrumie Diamond ...............Dewson Street JPS, TorontoJoseph DiFonzo.................Ossington/Old Orchard PS, TorontoNicole Dixon......................Westminster PS, VaughanMelissa Dockeray .............Homelands Senior PS, MississaugaWendy Donaldson.............Sir Isaac Brock PS, GuelphPeter Donatelli ..................Rivercrest JS, TorontoEllen Douglas ....................Fern Avenue PS, TorontoMarie-Claude Douville .....Rosethorn JS, EtobicokeNancy Dye .........................TDSB - Hearing Itinerant Dept., TorontoDonald Eckler....................Clinton Street JPS, Toronto

Thomas Eschle..................Richmond Hill High School, Richmond HillPamela Feldberg ...............German Mills PS, MarkhamLorian Feres-Cortina ........Iona CSS, MississaugaTamiko Ferguson...............Queen Elizabeth CVI, KingstonDaniel Ferguson ..............Withrow PS, TorontoMicheal FitzPatrick ........St. Thomas More SS, MississaugaShawn Gauthier ................Oriole Park JPS, TorontoDaniel Gerecht..................York Memorial CI, TorontoJan Golden ........................Trillium Woods ES, BarrieHenry Gomez ....................Cedarbrae CI, ScarboroughJennifer Goodine ..............Pickering High School, AjaxMike Gordon......................J.S. Woodsworth PS, TorontoWill Gourley ......................Sam Chapman PS, MarkhamAlexandra Grant................Sir Adam Beck JS, EtobicokeLinda Gutteridge...............J.S. Woodsworth PS, TorontoCarine Hamilton................Edward T. Crowle PS, MarkhamDiedre Hendry...................Dorset Drive PS, BramptonChapmann Hodd ...............St Jerome CES, AuroraSusan Holman...................Pringle Creek PS, WhitbyKevin Hryichuck ..............Beryl Ford PS, BramptonSarah Jacinto ....................Bloorlea MS, TorontoJasmine Jackman.............Judith Nyman SS, BramptonEdmund Jackson ..............Randall PS, MarkhamAshley Jeffrey ...................Emily Carr SS, WoodbridgeDarlene Jones ...................Brookview MS, TorontoTroy Jones .........................Milne Valley MS, TorontoTiuu Kajak .........................Earl Haig PS, TorontoMary Kettrick ....................Roland Michener PS, AjaxLeyla Kfoury ......................Thorncliffe Park PS, East YorkJon Kirby ...........................Erindale SS, MississaugaLisa Koenigsberger...........Canadian Martyrs CES, NewmarketCara Lambert ....................Bellmere JPS, TorontoT Lamont ...........................Ellwood Memorial PS, CaledonKaren Lapprand ................Hillcrest PS, MississaugaJamie Launder ..................Thomas Street MS, MississaugaCraig Lawler......................Windfields JHS, North YorkSarah Leaney ....................Pickering High School, AjaxKevin Lin............................Don Mills CI, North YorkKenneth Liska ...................Sir William Mulock SS, NewmarketVincent Lu .........................Don Mills CI, North YorkJill Maar.............................Armadale PS, MarkhamElizabeth Magee ...............CAP Bridges Alt. Atten. School, TorontoJessica Mallam .................J.S. Woodsworth PS, TorontoAristotelly Mantziouras....William Lyon Mackenzie CI, TorontoKatherine Marchello.........Brampton Centennial SS, BramptonAlexandra Maric-Jones ....Jackman Avenue PS, TorontoPhillip Martin ....................Shepperd PS, KitchenerLisa Mast ...........................Bloorview School Authority, TorontoScott Masters....................Crestwood Preparatory College, TorontoChristina Mathura.............Earl Grey Senior PS, TorontoJessica Matt ......................Penetanguishene Learning CentreThomas Maunder..............L’Amoreaux CI, TorontoLesley McGougan .............St. Rita CES, BramptonTed McNiece .....................Clinton Street JPS, TorontoDennis McWhinney...........Judith Nyman SS, BramptonAaloka Mehendiratta........Dunrankin Drive PS, MississaugaPatti Mihalides ..................St. Andrew ES, OakvilleJon Alexander Milette......Maple Creek PS, MapleKristen Miller ....................Aloma Crescent PS, BramptonJennifer Muir-Birtles........Mount Albert PS, East Gwillimbury

Nicole Nayman .................TDSB In Home ServicesAshley Neill.......................Southwood Park PS, AjaxAllana Osher .....................Northlea Elementary & MS, TorontoDavid Page ........................Assumption College CHS, WindsorLena Pang..........................Ellen Fairclough PS, MarkhamBarbara Parker .................F.H. Miller JPSLaurie Payne .....................Britt PS, BrittM Peluso............................St. John Vianney CES, WindsorTara Persad .......................Guardian Angels CES, MiltonKari Peters ........................Sir Robert L Borden BTI, ScarboroughRobin Phillips .................Lawrence Heights MS, TorontoGeorge Placewicz .............St. Robert CHS, ThornhillKevin Polidano ..................Father Leo J. Austin Catholic SS, WhitbyKatie Prentice ...................Penetanguishene SS, PenetanguisheneGizelle Price ......................Holy Name of Mary CSS, MississaugaLisa Ramey........................R.H. McGregor PS, TorontoJean Rehder ......................Nelson Mandela Park PS &

Regent Park/Duke of York PS, TorontoGraham Richards..............St. Mary CSS, CobourgBarbara Robson ................Northlea Elementary & MS, TorontoMarino Rocca ....................Michael Power/St. Joseph Catholic SS, TorontoLorie Rogers......................Silvercreek PS, Halton HillsMs. Roti-Nardi ..................Jarvis CI, TorontoJane Ryan..........................Sir Albert Love CS, OshawaRichard Schweitzer ..........Hillcrest Private School, OrangevilleSuril Shah..........................McKinnon PS, MississaugaJulie Sheppard..................Ajax High School, AjaxLeslie Simon......................Silver Pines PS, Richmond HillSarojnee Singh .................A.Y. Jackson SS, TorontoMark Siolek......................Monsignor Percy Johnson CHS, TorontoMollie Sitwell ....................Durham Christian Academy, CourticeAmy Smith ........................Thomas Street MS, MississaugaMark Spencer ...................Collingwood CI, CollingwoodNancy Stegweit.................Shelter Bay PS, MississaugaMicheal Stewart................Sir John A. Macdonald CI, TorontoChris Stidham ...................Father John Redmond CSS, EtobicokeMark Stoddart...................Redstone PS, Richmond HillGeorge Stribopolous ........Emily Carr SS, WoodbridgeMarie Sullivan ...................Don Mills CI, North YorkCatherine Sullivan ............St. Cecilia CES, MapleEmily Summers ................J.S. Woodsworth PS, TorontoKirk Swain .........................Roland Michener PS, AjaxToni Taves..........................Cashmere Avenue PS, MississaugaKaren Thompson ..............Monarch Park CI, TorontoDave Treherne...................Finch PS, TorontoChristopher Uchida ..........Emily Carr SS, WoodbridgeMichelle Van Herk ............Jesse Ketchum PS, TorontoMr. VanLangenberg ..........St. Justin Martyr CES, MarkhamTonya Vokey-Young .........Aurora Grove PS, AuroraNancy Westwood ..............Russell D. Barber PS, BramptonSteven Whiler....................Markville SS, MarkhamAlison Williams .................Ballantrae PS, Whitchurch-StouffvilleJermayne Williams ...........Bliss Carman JPS, TorontoPatrick Williamson ...........R.J. Lang Elementary & MS, North YorkCarlos Wong ......................Father Michael Goetz SS, MississaugaGraham Workman.............Cherry Tree PS, BramptonJesse Yarema ....................Milne Valley MS, TorontoAnthony Zomparelli..........St. Anthony CS, TorontoEntire Teaching Staff........John English JMS, Toronto

2012 HONOUR ROLLCongratulations to the following Ontario certified elementary and secondary teachers whowere nominated for the 4th Annual Toronto Star Teacher Award by students, parents andcolleagues from across the province.

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