T H E      I D A L O U

B E A C O N
July 16, 1998

Local teacher receives distinguished award

Idalou Middle School science teacher Ross Ann Hill won one of the two coveted "CASIO-Regional Collaboratives Distinguished Teaching and Technology Award".
Hill was presented the award and $1,000 worth of merchandise July 10 in Austin at the fifth annual meeting. Merchandise consisted of digital cameras, graphing calculators and digital probes and a commemorative stamp.
Lisa S. Leach, Coordinator of Curriculum and Instruction, Project Director, Region 17 Collaborative for Excellence in Science Teaching, nominated Hill. In her letter to Dr. Kamil Jbeily of Dwight D. Eisenhower Science Staff Development at the University of Texas, she referred to Hill as "extremely knowledgeable in science content, and has a unique ability to translate that content knowledge so that students can readily understand.
"She incorporates and models effective teaching practices, and embeds her lessons with relevance and interest. She is constantly seeking new ideas, knowledge and opportunities for both herself and her students. Her students demonstrate a very high level of achievement on the 8th grade TAAS test."

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 Leach described Hill as "a gifted and dedicated educator and an enthusiastic participant in professional development who has been a member of the Region 17 Collaborative for Excellence in Science Teaching since its inception. She has taken on a leadership role for the Collaborative by providing a technology training during each summer institute and by managing communication via an email list of Region 17 Collaborative website. Her work with the Collaborative has led to other grant-funded opportunities for her district, such as a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and several technology grants."
Hill was among 20 nominated teachers from Texas.
Regional Collaboratives statewide provide sustained and high intensity professional development to science teacher leaders to empower them to lead systemic science education reform.
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Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching
The University of Texas at Austin, Science Education Center SZB340, Austin, Texas 78712-1294
Phone: 512-471-9460  Fax: 512-471-9244