IRMO-Becky Krantz, an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher at Seven Oaks Elementary and Arturo Romero, facilities supervisor at CrossRoads Middle School, received Lexington-Richland Five's top honors.
Krantz was named the 2009-10 Mary Meech Mungo District Five Teacher of the Year and Romero was named the 2009-10 Michael J. Mungo District Five Support Employee of the Year.
Krantz teaches students from grades kindergarten through 12th and speaking 15 languages. She has worked in the district for 26 years and has taught ESOL at Seven Oaks for the past 22 years.
In 1986, Krantz became the district's first full-time ESOL teacher. At the time, she was volunteering with 12 Saudi Arabian students. She said, "I was quite confident I knew how to teach ESOL because of so many years of learning foreign languages. Little did I know that I had much to learn and I began to aggressively learn and read everything I could about ESOL. For a long time I was the only ESOL teacher, but now I am a part of an incredible team of strong ESOL teachers."
She earned her bachelor's degree from Winthrop University and her ESOL certification from Charleston University. She is a member of the International Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages and has presented numerous times at conferences around the nation on ESOL learners.
Romero, originally from El Salvador, has worked for the district for 17 years. He sets high expectations for himself and his facilities crew. He said, "It is important that I set the standard that I expect from my fellow workers to achieve. I try to lead by example. I work as hard as they do so there is no question what I expect from myself and from others."
Barbara Turner, principal of CrossRoads Middle, agrees. She said, "His contributions to our school make everyone smile. He works tirelessly to plant plants and develop gardens that rival those seen in many magazines. He takes great pride in all that he does and always puts the interest of our school above his own. In short, there's only one Mr. Romero, and he is truly the best."
Also recognized at the program were each school's 2009-10 teacher and support employee of the year and Honor Roll teachers and support employees.
Honor Roll employees are those who were selected as finalists for the district title. Honor roll teachers included Krantz, Sharon Gray from the Alternative Academy for Success and Carmen Plemmons from Lake Murray Elementary. Honor roll support employees included Romero, Cindy Matthews from Lake Murray Elementary and Tammy Simpson from Oak Pointe Elementary.
Teachers of the Year for 2009-10 include: Maya Hoffman, Ballentine Elementary; Denise Laboe, Chapin Elementary; Bill Sommerville, Chapin High; Deannie DuRant, Chapin Middle; Julie Bussells, CrossRoads Middle; Emily Perkins, Dutch Fork Elementary; Laurie Humphrey, Dutch Fork High; Amy Westbury, Dutch Fork Middle; Kristin Mello, Harbison West Elementary; Teresa Devine, H. E. Corley Elementary; Joye Rush, Irmo Elementary; Nancy Brock, Irmo High; Kim Cheeseboro, Irmo Middle; Jennie Burns, Leaphart Elementary; Lori Alexander, Nursery Road Elementary; Denise Williams, Oak Pointe Elementary and Trish Taylor, River Springs Elementary.
Support Employees of the Year include: Kim Cash, Alternative Academy for Success; Karen Krumrey, Ballentine Elementary; Leann Coghlan, Chapin Elementary; Eva Curry, Chapin High; Tina Carwell, Chapin Middle; James Gibbs, District Office; Ann Newman, Dutch Fork Elementary; Cynthia Cross, Dutch Fork High; Laurie Dobbe, Dutch Fork Middle; Fay Colley, Harbison West Elementary; Bobbie Boulware, H. E. Corley Elementary; Faye Golding, Irmo Elementary; Frank Bynum, Irmo High; Allison Redick, Irmo Middle; Wanda Jenkins, Leaphart Elementary; Lynn Myers, Nursery Road Elementary; Morris Sims, River Springs Elementary; Michele Lyerly, Seven Oaks Elementary and Anne O'Leary, Bus Driver of the Year.
The Mungo Company provides a $1,000 bonus to the district's teacher and support employee of the year. Other corporate sponsors of the recognition ceremony included the Irmo-Chapin Recreation Commission; Duff, White & Turner LLC; Innisbrook Wraps, Lexington Medical Center, Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union and the Zaxby's
