| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| steph.JPG | 35.47 KB |
Each month the faculty at Mapleton Junior High presents the Spirit of the Mustang award to a faculty member that embodies the school mission statement of "Students are the focus - Success is the goal". These individuals go above and beyond.
In May, the award was passed to Stephanie Swensen, math teacher and department chair at MJHS, with the following remarks:
Stephanie is amazing in so many ways. The first time I met Stephanie I was impressed by her optimism and “can do” mentality. When others feel overwhelmed she reassures them that it’s not a problem and together we can do this. She treats people like they are the most important person in the world to her. I used to think I was one of Stephanie’s favorite people in the whole school because she always had time to talk to me and help me with whatever I needed. However, I now know that she treats everyone that way. I see other teachers in her room frequently talking with her about concerns or sharing successes. Stephanie is like the “Mom” of Mapleton Jr. High. She seems to have all the answers to the hard questions and is there to cheer you on and reassure you when you feel discouraged.
The expressions she makes and the tone of voice she uses when she greets her students lets them know that she cares about them and expects them to put forth their best effort. She works to know each student well enough to find out what makes them “tick” and uses that to help them be successful.
I took some math classes with Stephanie while working on my level 3 math endorsement. From that experience I observed that she is an extremely good note taker and well organized. She helped me get through several of those classes by explaining the concepts in a way I could understand it. She does the same thing with the students she teaches. She is an expert at identifying what a student does not understand and then re-teaching it in way that makes sense.
Stephanie is an amazing wonderful teacher. I am so grateful for all that she has done to help me and for her incredible example that she is to her students and colleagues.