Lisa Stevenson
Position: Math Teacher
School: Woodland High School
School District: Henry County Public Schools
City, State: Stockbridge, Georgia
About the Nominee: Lisa Stevenson was nominated by a colleague, Carrie Keller.Ms. Keller met Mrs. Stevenson five years ago, when her oldest daughter joined the Woodland High School Color Guard during her senior year. Mrs. Stevenson saw something in this eldest daughter and had her join the team as an alternate. Under Mrs. Stevenson's guidance and careful grooming, the student finished the band season being awarded most valuable member of the Color Guard.Ms. Keller's youngest daughter is in her fourth year of Color Guard and is exhibiting the same personal growth as her sister did. The work ethic, confidence and self assurance they both have learned under Mrs. Stevenson's guidance is something that can never be repaid. Mrs. Stevenson is a strong, independent, caring woman who is making a difference in the lives of many young women. She has empowered Ms. Keller's daughters to reach beyond their comfort zone to accomplish goals they didn't think were possible.Recently, Ms. Keller has become a colleague of Mrs. Stevenson and has gained even more respect for her talents. She wears many hats at Woodland High School, all of which improve the school community on a daily basis. Ms. Keller, along with about 20 other teachers, is new to Woodland's community. Mrs. Stevenson met with all of them to make certain they knew there was a life-line in the building if any of them felt overwhelmed. They were all given a "Welcome to the Pack" gift basket as well. Mrs. Stevenson has gone out of her way numerous times to help new teachers feel more comfortable and become more productive, from helping them set up grade books to giving tours of the school.In addition to making sure 20-25 teachers were settling in, Mrs. Stevenson is the founder of the Pactivities program, an initiative designed to specifically target teacher retention and morale. She is doing a fantastic job pulling her colleagues together as a staff. Every month, the staff celebrate birthdays for that month, and she has organized numerous fundraisers and off-campus gatherings that help teachers become acquainted with one another outside of school. To encourage staff to attend school activities, Mrs. Stevenson set up a program where they can earn different prizes for every 10 events they attend.In addition to the leadership roles mentioned above, Mrs. Stevenson is also the Environmental Science Club Sponsor. The sponsor’s role is to provide advice along the way and to help ensure the stability of the group from year-to-year given that all of the students, even the founders of the club, will eventually graduate or move on to other interests or endeavors.Ms. Keller says it has been a unique experience to go from a parent/teacher relationship to being a colleague of Mrs. Stevenson's. Her respect for Mrs. Stevenson's professionalism and the high standards she sets for herself and her students has grown.Without a shadow of doubt, Mrs. Stevenson is a LifeChanger!
[nominee_videos nominee_email="Lisa.Stevenson@henry.k12.ga.us"]