Caesar Rodney School District names Teacher of the Year
Another local school district has announced their Teacher of the Year winner. Caesar Rodney School District has announced that Melissa Rapp, a ninth grade social studies teacher at Caesar Rodney High School in Camden, has been named as the District’s Teacher of the Year for the 2016-2017 school year. Rapp has been teaching for 12 years, and has been at CRHS since 2006.
“Melissa Rapp is an excellent example of a quality teacher, not only at Caesar Rodney High School but throughout the school district,” said Caesar Rodney School District Superintendent Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald. “Her dedication to her students and to the community has helped make Caesar Rodney High School a very special place.”
“Melissa Rapp embodies the qualities that all great teachers aspire to be: enthusiastic, compassionate, and a phenomenal role model for public education,” said Dr. Sherry Kijowski, principal at Caesar Rodney High School. “Her classroom is such an exciting place to visit. Moreover, she has invested her heart and soul to the Caesar Rodney School District through a variety of events that have touched us all; whether it is the annual homecoming parade, the Pennies for Pumpkins drive to support breast cancer research or hosting district employee’s children through the annual Trunk or Treat event or the district-wide spring Easter egg hunt. Melissa could easily be called “Mrs. Caesar Rodney!”
When asked what factors influenced her to become a teacher, Melissa replied, “There is nothing more empowering than a sense of belonging. In high school, both my math teacher and history teacher made me feel like I belonged from the moment I walked into their classrooms.” Added Melissa, “I will never forget the day when I was asked to teach my teacher’s freshman algebra class. I felt empowered. This was what I was meant to do with my life. I clearly remember this experience because it was so validating; by giving me the chance to teach others, I had found my passion and calling in life.
Melissa continued, “My high school history teacher also inspired me to become an educator. When I chose to take AP U.S. History, a course with a highly competitive selection process, my teacher went to bat for me and fought for me to be included on the roster. When I asked he had fought to include me in the class, he said it was because I belonged there. I knew then that I wanted to create a classroom where my students would feel this same sense of belonging and value.”
Caesar Rodney starts their search for Teacher of the Year by getting recommendations from students, teachers, parents and administrators at each school building. The teachers in each building then vote, leaving the top five teachers per building. Those are then narrowed down by by a committee of parents, teachers and students from each school, based on a portfolio. From that process, one teacher in each building emerges as a district Teacher of the Year candidate. Portfolios for each of the building nominees are then read and scored independently by administrators, school board members, teachers, parents and students, to determine the finalists. Each finalist is then observed and interviewed by teams consisting of the district superintendent, building principals, teachers and parents, which gives each a score. Overall scores, and discussion by the team then leads to the Teacher of the Year winner.
Rapp will now go on to compete against 18 other school district Teacher of the Year nominees for the honor of becoming the State’s 2017 Teacher of the Year. That announcement will be made by Governor Jack Markell in October.
