Double win for El Dorado Community School
Third-grade educator and choir instructor honored for their work with students
At the end of a sunny, windy field day, the children of El Dorado Community School gathered Monday in rows on the football field for a surprise announcement.
Ruthanne Greeley, executive director of Santa Fe Partners in Education, told the students she was at the school to dole out Teachers Who Inspire awards, granted every year to six or seven outstanding teachers in local public schools. The award comes with a $1,200 check for the recipient.
This year, El Dorado Community School had not one winner, but two.
Almost as soon as Greeley started reading about the first recipient, excited thirdgraders stood on the field and pointed toward their teacher, Josie Gallegos.
“Ms. G! Ms. G! Ms. G!” students chanted as she stood to receive her award.
El Dorado choir teacher Galen Prenevost was the sixth and final recipient of a 2017 Teachers Who Inspire award.
Gallegos has been teaching for 26 years, seven of them at El Dorado. She was nominated by her peers at the school for her classroom dynamic.
Gallegos’ students rotate as assistant teachers in her classroom. She uses the CHAMPs classroom management tool to teach children how to be successful in class.
“I think that relationship building is very important. That’s something I really work on with the kids,” Gallegos said. “We’re all in this together and there is this mutual respect with all of us. We just want to help each other every day.”
Principal Anne Darnton said each year she watches third-graders develop a better understanding of themselves as they progress through Gallegos’ classroom.
“She knows her craft incredibly well and does incredible things within her classroom with student leadership,” Darnton said. “Her classroom is really a community.”
As for the second award winner, Greeley said El Dorado school had two choirs when Prenevost arrived six years ago. Today, it has five, all of which received superior ratings at state performance assessments, Greeley said.
For Prenevost, who has been teaching for three decades, music education is all about helping students realize their potential and self-worth. He teaches them that everyone has the potential to be a good singer and often stays late to help children with voice coaching.
“I empower them to believe in themselves as people through their voice,” Prenevost said. “I want them to believe they are worth it, that they are worthy and they deserve respect.”
He’s noticed that when he praises students on their performances, the kids join in to help each other grow. The confidence spreads and before too long, all of the kids are thinking, “If they can do it, I can do it,” Prenevost said.
Darnton said she always has tissues on hand for Prenevosts’ students choir performances, which she said are always impressive and rather emotional. He brings a lot out of his students, she said.
“My philosophy is to raise the bar. I introduce concepts to them and if they’re getting them, I won’t stop. It doesn’t matter how old they are. It matters how ready they are,” the choir teacher said. “It’s important not to sell the kids short.”
Ultimately, they’re usually the ones who inspire him.
“They always meet my expectations and surpass them,” Prenevost said. “I take their lead.”