The end of the year staff recognition celebration was held today at the Wayland Union Fine Arts Center where staff members from Wayland Union Schools were recognized for their years of service and to honor those who are retiring this year.  At this celebration each year, the prestigious Katheryn Lorraine Brenner Outstanding Teacher Award and $1,000 is presented.  This year’s recipient is Lori Howell, a third grade teacher at Steeby Elementary.  Howell has taught for the district for 25 years.  

Kathy Brenner was an outstanding student at Wayland Union and passed away in the fall of 1993 due to complications of cystic fibrosis.  Bob Brenner, a previous Superintendent at Wayland Union for 23 years, and his wife Sandy, established the award to honor an outstanding teacher who has committed the extra time and effort to benefit kids in the classroom and/or in extracurricular activities within Wayland Union Schools.

The specific criteria related to the objective include:
1. The teacher must have at least five years of teaching experience in Wayland Union Schools.
2. The teacher could be an elementary, middle, or high school teacher.
3. The teacher must be one who is committed to teaching as evidenced by showing a strong knowledge of curriculum, their field of expertise, and research.
4. The teacher must believe that all students can learn.

Past recipients of this award have been given to:
2003 Sharon Nelson Middle School
2004 Kathie Johnson High School
2005 Susan Boehm Pine Street Elementary
2006 Jan Laman High School
2007 Chris Potter Middle School
2008 Robin Seniura Dorr Elementary
2009 Judy Mutschler Steeby Elementary
2010 Suzanne Jurkowski Pine Street Elementary
2011 Karen Nofsinger High School
2012 Linda Anderson High School

UNITED BANK CEO ART JOHNSON VISITS HIS OLD SCHOOL, READS TO KINDERGARTNERS FROM ABA PRESIDENT’S BOOK ABOUT GEORGE WASHINGTON

During his recent tenure as Chairman and CEO of the American Bankers Association, United Bank of Michigan CEO Art Johnson helped to identify former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating as the organization’s new president. Last Friday, Johnson brought some of Keating’s wisdom to a different kind of audience – the kindergarten students at the Baker Elementary School that Johnson attended many years ago.

Visiting the classroom of kindergarten teacher Kim Anderson, Johnson had the opportunity to read Keating’s new children’s book, George, to the modern-day kindergarteners of Baker Elementary.  Keating’s book is a biographical account of the life of George Washington’s life, written for young children.

“In addition to being a great leader for the banking industry, which we knew when we recruited him to lead the ABA, Frank has a real heart for children and loves to write for them,” Johnson said. “It was special to me to be able to bring that to these young people, especially since I was once a Baker Elementary student myself!

The book pays special attention to Washington’s life as a boy, including a list of principles that Washington developed with the help of one of his teachers – rules by which he wanted to live.

“It shows children that it is never too early to know what you believe in and to live according to it,” said Johnson, who donated an autographed copy of the book to the school’s library.

United Bank of Michigan, which has served West Michigan since 1887, is committed to excellence in the delivery of a wide array of financial services, including mortgage lending, commercial lending, insurance and investments.  The locally owned and operated bank has 11 full-service locations.  Visit www.unitedbankomichigan.com for more information about the bank and its services.