IU employees receive Annie Sullivan Award
A teacher and a paraprofessional who last year worked with students with special needs at Connellsville Junior High East have received the Intermediate Unit 1’s Annie Sullivan Award.
Teacher Jennifer Martin and paraprofessional Howard “Mac” McBeth received the honor for their exemplary work with students with disabilities and helping others understand and accept those students.
“It’s a nomination process from their peers or their supervisors, or anybody. The information is on our web site,” said Leigh Dennick, assistant director for special education for IU1.
The intermediate unit provides special education and support services to 25 school districts in Fayette, Washington and Greene counties and has 700 employees. Dennick said nominees and the person nominating them remain anonymous throughout the selection process, so they are selected solely on the information submitted.
Dennick said Martin has used reverse mainstreaming with her students who have severe disabilities, which was noted in the nomination as follows:
“Jennifer is responsible for allowing several regular education students to work with her class during their free periods. I watched as one of her more involved students calmly held the hand of one of these classroom helpers as they both colored pictures. The smile never left his face! These interactions do more to foster acceptance of Jennifer’s students by the school population than any lecture or training session.”
McBeth has been assigned as the classroom aide for the same student for several years. Last school year, his student happened to be in Martin’s class. This year, both the student and McBeth are at Frazier High School.
“He’s always smiling, always laughing, no matter what,” Dennick said.
McBeth has been described as “the most patient man I’ve ever met,” according to the person who submitted his name for the award.
“Though a 1:1 aide, Mac never hesitates to provide needed support for the other paraprofessionals in the classroom. I have observed him voluntarily taking over for a fellow staff member whose student was having a difficult day. He didn’t have to be asked,” the nomination stated.
McBeth also is captain of the “Walking for the Boys” autism awareness team of parents, students and staff, helping to raise money for autism awareness.
Dennick said the nominations were judged by a panel consisting of last year’s Annie Sullivan Award winners, administrators from the school districts and five to six IU staff members.
The nominees were rated in areas including participating in organizations that promote acceptance of those with disabilities and working with the students in extracurricular activities, as well as their work with the students, school and community.