District Employees of the Year

Michelle Brown

Martin City Middle School Science Teacher

Teacher of the Year

Growing up one of my favorite memories was playing “teacher” and “church” with my siblings. In my imaginative world, I shaped the lives of my audience through knowledge and hope. During my pretend play as a teacher, I would make my participants work through difficult math problems, maintain strict behavioral rules, and experience tangible rewards for those who stayed on task. I was the one making all the decisions to ensure the participants were learning. I guess I had a small part of the teaching and learning figured out.

My name is Michelle Brown. I have two adult sons Julius age 25 years old and Jonathan 21 years old. I mention my children because it was my role as a mother that inspired me to become a teacher. I felt my talents, compassion, love, and responsibility for future generations could be cultivated and magnified in the world of education. This has been one decision I have yet to regret. Every day in education has provided countless opportunities and experiences to positively impact the lives of others. I believe the education of students is a team effort in which I am privileged to be a part of.

Betty Quinonez

Conn-West Elementary Language Arts Paraprofessional

Support of the Year

I came to the United States when I was 29 years old and I had a big challenge! The English language! I attended community English classes and after that, I moved onto a community college to continue my education. After my experience as an ESL student, I felt in my heart the call to help students break that language barrier and be successful. My years of experience have been working with students learning a second language. I worked at a high school in Garden City, KS with students from different countries and it was a wonderful experience! I have been working in elementary education since 2011 and I really enjoy it! My greatest reward supporting students is seeing their progress and mastering the language. Also seeing a student hit different goals and improve their ability to develop a skill is so satisfying. Seeing kids who come to school not knowing English or having never gone to school can be challenging. My goals are always the same, to help them build their communication skills and to help them succeed in school. My hope is that I will always be able to help my students grow in their learning and also in their personal life.

My father returned from WWII to the high school business/social studies classroom of Richland Township School, Newtown, Indiana. Mother soon joined him there as the teacher of 45 Baby Boomer first graders. Therefore, from the age of two years, I was literally raised by the education community of our small town. The teachers were my mentors and friends. After high school graduation, I completed my Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Education degrees at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. After teaching vocal music two years at Hawthorne Elementary in suburban Indianapolis, my husband and I began our family with two beautiful daughters. A move to Dallas, Texas, gave me the opportunity to volunteer as a music specialist at our daughters’ elementary and pre-schools. While there, my husband and I developed a summer IMPACT program that emphasized music experiences for inner-city children and youth. Another move found me teaching full-time as an elementary music teacher in the Corpus Christi, Texas, public schools. This was where I gained my love and respect for the courage and dedication of faculty, students, and parents who were finding their way through the difficult days of Desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement. My final elementary music teaching opportunity brought me to the Grandview C-4 public schools. During those 15 years at Butcher-Greene Elementary, I continued developing music teaching and classroom control skills that seemed to motivate, calm, and relax at-risk students. Following my retirement, I immediately volunteered at the new High Grove Early Childhood Center. For eleven years I have taught the monthly, 20-minute early childhood (EC) music classes that had been my assignment during their brief tenure at Butcher-Greene. Currently, at High Grove, there are 16 music classes.