Recipient's Name: Wendy Fletcher

School: Hillcrest Public School

Grade: 4

Number of Years Teaching: 4

When asked what inspires her as a teacher, Wendy answered, I love children. Wendy loves their curiosity, the way they state things, their determination and seeing them take big steps in their lives. She finds grade 4 students easy to motivate and loves seeing them deeply involved in what they are doing by asking questions, sharing their findings and being active in their own learning.

Wendy believes that a very important part of her role as a teacher is to really get to know her students. She seeks to get to know something new about each one of them every day. She builds sharing times into their learning and seeks to know what motivates them. By knowing her students well she is able to help them grab hold of their best. During our visit to Wendy's classroom one of her students said, Mrs. Fletcher helps make sure we are excellent people when we grow up.

Betty, the parent of one of Wendy's students wrote these words:

I am the proud foster mother of a beautiful eight year old girl. Mrs. Fletcher has gone above and beyond her call of duty as my foster daughter's teacher. Mrs. Fletcher has kept up on a daily communication report without fail during the year. She has also shown compassion, understanding, commitment and firmness when needed. She not only kept a sharp eye on her working ability but has gone above and beyond to see that she ate all her lunch. Mrs. Fletcher would actually sit with her on her own time and even share her own lunch with her.

To my amazement during the cold winter months, Mrs. Fletcher would take the time to walk my daughter to my car if she had an upsetting day and explain to me what had happened. She would encourage my daughter to make right choices and explain to her how to do that while always telling her tomorrow was another day and she could start fresh. As a foster mom I have watched a little girl with no self esteem and always saying I can't do this now saying with confidence, Look mom I can do this! It is rewarding to see her grow and learn and hopefully become a responsible and successful young lady.