Teacher of the Year
Walk past the Eagleswood Township Elementary School gymnasium when Tammy Nicolini is teaching class and you are likely to hear bass-infused music, the sound of sneakers hitting the floor and mostly, lots of laughter.
That’s because to Tammy, who has taught physical education at Eagleswood since 2004, getting children healthy, active and engaged means getting them to have fun, too. It is that philosophy that prompted her peers at the school to nominate her as Eagleswood Elementary’s Teacher of the Year.
“Living a healthy active lifestyle is so important for our children. Tammy seems to have the perfect recipe for getting kids to want to test themselves physically and pay attention to the choices they make,” said Superintendent Deborah Snyder. “Being in a small school setting she makes it her job to know each student personally and can challenge them, based on their own individual needs and interests.”
Tammy says it is the small school environment that enables her, and ultimately, her students to thrive.
“I’ve enjoyed being at Eagleswood. I love the small setting,” Tammy said. “It’s a family and I can really get to know each student, not only by name, but by what really makes the child who he or she is.”
One nominator said, “Tammy gives our students the understanding that the real winners in sports (and in life) are those who know how to persevere and to behave with dignity-whether they win or lose a game. A child who practices good sportsmanship is likely to carry the respect and appreciation of other people into every other aspect of life.”
