December 2012 Winner - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

Teacher Name: Stacey Hartman

School: Seaford Middle School

School City, State: Seaford, Delaware

Reason You Are Nominating Your Teacher: "From early in the morning until long after most others in the building have gone home, Stacey Hartman is at the Seaford Middle School making sure that good things happen for kids. As the band teacher at the school, she could teach music every day and then go home. Instead, Stacey volunteers to work with the High School Marching band outside of her regular day, as well as to direct the school play. The arts are a priority to her and she ensures that as many students as possible have access to quality performing arts programming. She has made a difference in the lives of so many children, setting high standards, helping to set goals, demanding excellence and helping those students to achieve it. Stacey will not accept less than their best and her students know it. They also know how much she cares about them. I have been blessed that two of my children have been in Mrs. Hartman's class. My older daughter is an overachiever who pushes herself, for her, Mrs. Hartman was a firm guiding force – never letting her get lazy, always pushing her to try something new and supporting her as she navigated those difficult middle school years. When my daughter wanted to try performing a very difficult piece of music for a talent show, Stacey helped her adapt the sheet music and practice above and beyond school hours, even staying after school with her. My son is a little more difficult to motivate. In fifth grade band, it was all we could do to get him to practice his instrument and do his band homework. This year, with Mrs. Hartman, he is constantly working to improve and needs no motivation from us to work on his band assignments (math and English are a little different story) The work ethic that she is instilling in my will serve him for years to come. She meets every child in her care at their level and works as a partner to help them achieve."