The KAPPAN Congratulates

Happy Birthday, Grace

Grace Green-Dickerson celebrated the century mark in September with her IA Tau sisters. Grace has been a member for 52 years. According to her sisters, she is “remarkable, enthusiastic, smart, funny, kind – the consummate master teacher and a role model for all of us.”

Andrew Zalewski displays the Certificate of Educational Excellence presented to him recently by Ontario Psi. Andrew earned a B.Ed. in Technological Education from Brock University. This is the fourth time that Psi has honored a graduating teacher candidate “who has exemplified overall excellence in their final teaching year.” With Andrew are Mary Johnson and Giselle Whyte, members of the Psi Award Committee, who, with Psi President Linda O’Grady, presented the certificate and a check for $500. Psi has a partnership with the Faculty of Education at Brock.

Collins Receives Literary Awards

President Melanie Collins, TN Beta Theta, was recently honored for her service and dedication to two literacy organizations. Her most recent award was the Mary Ann Manning Service Award for lifetime dedication and service to the International Literacy Association. This award is given yearly to a member nominated by her peers for service. In December, Melanie also received the Reading Award from the Literacy Association of Tennessee for outstanding contributions to literacy, and the LEADER Special Interest Group, a subgroup of the International Literacy Association, Distinguished Service Award for distinguished service.

Melanie attended the inaugural A∆K Leadership Academy. She is the author of a series of books about the adventures of Socks and Mean Sister.

Melanie says she plans to continue her service and dedication to A∆K and the International Literacy Association.

Elementary School Named After a Texas Sister

Liz Hatley, Immediate Past President of TX Epsilon Omicron, was recently honored by the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw (EMS) school district by having their newest elementary school named after her. The Elizabeth Lopez Hatley Elementary School will open next fall.

Liz has a long, highly impactful history with the district and community. She joined Eagle MountainSaginaw ISD in 1980 when there were three elementary, one middle school, and one high school. She retired in 2011 after 35 years in education, with 25 years served in EMS ISD. During her tenure, she served as a first-grade teacher at Eagle Mountain Elementary and then as a teacher of the Gifted and Talented at Elkins and Bryson elementary schools. She was an assistant principal at Highland Middle School, opened and served as principal of Chisholm Ridge Elementary, and then moved into district administration as the Director of Curriculum. She even worked post-retirement as interim principal.

Her service in the community did not end there. In 2014, she was elected to the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD Board of Education, where she has served for the last eight years. She is active with the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Retired School Employees, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Education Foundation, Community Link Mission and her church. She serves as a Read2Win volunteer and attends programs and events across the district.

Ten women joined or were reinstated as members during her term as chapter president. She serves as the Texas District I secretary and the Texas Woman of Honor Committee Chairman.

“When I think of Liz Hatley, several words come to mind – wise, generous, faithful, committed, knowledgeable, a wealth of resources and pure joyfulness,” said Dr. Jim F. Chadwell, District School Superintendent. “This will be a special school that bears her name, and if it reflects just a percentage of things I described of her, this campus will be a resounding success.”

And what will the colors be of the Elizabeth Lopez Hatley Elementary School? Why, purple and white, of course.

Submitted by Shelly Couch, TX State President-Elect, TX Epsilon Omicron.