Pennsylvania Camelot Teachers Honored

Teacher of the Year nominees, including winner Richmond Mathis (far right) pose with Camelot VP of Business Development Nilsa Gonzalez (far left) and Philadelphia Superintendent of Schools William Hite (third from right) at the Camelot Education Graduation in Philadelphia.

At Camelot’s Philadelphia graduation earlier this summer, nearly 300 Camelot students from four Philadelphia schools received their degrees. During the ceremony, seven Pennsylvania Camelot Education teachers were also recognized for their hard work during the Teacher of the Year Presentation.  Richard Mathis of Aspira Excel Academy (far right in photo) won the top prize.

Here is a look at the nominees (from left to right in the photo):

Jennifer Weaver teaches American History at Excel South in Philadelphia, where she is also a Jobs For the Future model instructor.  Jennifer works to find scholarships for her students, stays long hours pushing students to complete their senior projects, develops education-based field trips, and is considered a model employee. One of her nominations states: “Ms. Weaver also has been modeling what we want in all our employees, and that is being an advocate for our students and program.”

Ashley Cain is a co-teacher for English and math classes at Excel North in Philadelphia.  Going above and beyond her role, Ashley provides professional development opportunities to her peers, and presents new ideas and processes to benefit the Camelot environment.  Ashley also excels in her experience in the classroom, according to her nomination: “Throughout a class period, she is able to adapt our lessons to the many different learning styles and skills that exist in our room.”

Jennifer Bailey is a Middle School Math teacher at Camelot Academy in Philadelphia. Jennifer Bailey has been an asset to the Camelot community, going above and beyond to make sure her students understand math through fun projects such as planning parties, or splitting up into small groups to better understand lessons. Her nomination notes: “Students enjoy the tasks and comprehend how daily activities connect to grander concepts.  They do not hesitate to ask questions and participate.”

Megan Whitney is first-year art teacher at Camelot of Buehrle in Lancaster.  A “Buehrle Staff of the Month” awardee in November 2014, Megan has worked to institute new art programs, and has invited local artists into the school to work with students. Megan’s work made a lasting impact on her students: “She has created many special projects that have enlightened student learning and set a passion for students to want to learn art.

Sean Hogan is a Middle School Communication Arts teacher at Phoenix Academy in Lancaster. As an educator, Sean makes it a priority to ensure that his students are collaborative learners. During a lesson he engages students by making learning fun while still pushing them to the edge of their comfort level. “He exudes passion about his content and is dedicated to challenging students to learn to their fullest potential. This statement was also solidified by the significant increase in PSSA reading and writing scores during the 2012-2013 school year.”

Jenna Spiewak is an emotional and behavioral support teacher at Camelot KAPS in Philadelphia. Jenna has shown an exemplary level of commitment to students inside and outside of the classroom, meeting the needs of a diverse class, progress monitoring, creating interventions and writing IEP’s. “Jenna shows the needed patience and creativity to keep her student’s minds engaged.  She continuously looks for ways to improve her teaching skills through professional development and actively seeks out suggestions from her fellow staff members.”

Richmond Mathis is a World and U.S. History teacher at Aspira Excel Academy in Philadelphia.  Richmond has been singled out for his ability to engage with students and to make history relatable, incorporating technology and implementing strategies to ensure that the students understand their lessons.  According to his nomination: “Mr. Mathis is an inspiring and motivating teacher. He’ll help you with anything and try to make a connection in his life to understand.”