Patrick Dempsey

Position: 8th Grade Science Teacher

School: Hixson Middle School

School District: Webster Groves School District

City, State: Webster Groves, Missouri

About the Nominee: Patrick Dempsey teaches 8th grade science at Hixson Middle School, but he does so much more than just that. Students describe Mr. Dempsey as passionate, outgoing, interesting, engaging, and fun. He works with many of his colleagues on Twitter and on Google Plus, and his passion for science and innovation extend well past the walls of his school. He leads educators in many professional learning opportunities where he openly discusses his grading practices, authentic classroom experiences and meaningful strategies that engage students and the community. Mr. Dempsey thinks “outside the box,” and his classroom is the definition of innovation. He has gone paperless, leveraging the power of Google applications for sustainable education. His “Makerspace” allows students to investigate sustainability and waste management while partnering with area businesses. His goal is not trap the learning in the classroom, but to share it with the community and world around them. He has students blog about their learning and pack up projects to take the learning on the road. Mr. Dempsey also started a robotics team at his school, which is now a course offering. Finally, Mr. Dempsey leads outside of his school building in a number of ways. He teaches technology to teachers in surrounding districts and serves as a board member for a non-profit called ConnectED Learning, which plans and provides customizable professional learning experiences for teachers. He is also on the planning team for a regional education conference called edcampSTL. Mr. Dempsey is a driving force and a true leader. He connects with educators from around the world and down the street. The Webster Groves School district, its students, its staff and its community are better because of his efforts.You can view Mr. Dempsey's Google Teacher Certification video here.