Provided by Prince William County Schools (PWCS)
On the first day of school, teachers anticipate a variety of challenges they will face throughout the year. They want to inspire and encourage their students to learn, keep their students focused in the classroom, build relationships with students and their families, and more. Stonewall Jackson High School French teacher Radia Ihaddadene and Montclair Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Eunice Lee met and exceeded these challenges. For their exceptionally high level of work last year, they received the PWCS 2019 Outstanding New Teacher of the Year Award.
Ihaddadene and Lee were nominated by their administrators and colleagues. Both were introduced at the Connect Conference in August. They shared their insights into what contributes to a successful first year with the audience of more than 800 newly hired teachers. Apple Federal Credit Union Foundation, sponsor of the PWCS new teacher orientation program, awarded $500 to each.
Whether Lee is taking photos of her students as they work on various class assignments, building relationships with students during one-on-one meetings, or taking the time to improve her skills, Lee’s love for teaching is evident in her students’ success. Her entire class had a 100 percent pass rate for the math and social studies Standards of Learning tests. While not in attendance to receive her award in person, Lee shared some thoughts via a recorded message.
As a new teacher, Ihaddadene stepped up to the challenge of navigating the curriculum and the requirements for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma program. Her dedication and time spent building relationships with her students is evident. Her hard work and determination resulted in 24 of her Pre-IB French-3 students being promoted to IB French – that is triple the number of students who promoted to IB French the previous year.
Addressing the new teachers, Ihaddadene said, “I care about my students and their success; that’s what helped me to overcome all the challenges during the first year of teaching. The best teachers inspire their students to work harder while challenging themselves. So let’s take risks, dream big, believe in ourselves, and guide our students to improve the world of their future.”
Congratulations to Radia Ihaddadene and Eunice Lee!
