-
Teacher of the Year 2021
Mary McKinnie
Mary McKinnie started teaching in 2014 and came to Jo Kelly School in fall 2019. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Early Childhood Education with a focus in Special Education from TCU. She has volunteered at Jo Kelly since she was a child. She loves purple, the TCU Horned Frogs, arts and crafts, and reading.
"I have always enjoyed the positive atmosphere on campus and it is a privilege to serve the kiddos and staff here.”"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin
***
Teacher of the Year 2020
Mrs. Martha Johnson-Kimble
Martha has been in the field of education for eighteen years. She is currently a Special Education Teacher at Jo Kelly School and has been for the last 12 years. All of her teaching experience has been within the FW香港六合彩直播开奖. She worked at Eastern Hills High School and as a substitute teacher for four years.
Professionally, she feels blessed to have completed a bachelor's degree in social work, a master's degree in education and her Principal Preparation Program with Region 11.
Before working in education, Martha was in the business world and worked as a business manager for sixteen years. She has had a number of leadership roles in her church and community.
Martha's teaching philosophy is that every student can learn on some level. "I am very excited because I have the pleasure of shaping children's lives on a daily basis. I believe God put me on this earth to contribute to the fulfillment of people with special needs."
Martha is also the parent of a 38-year-old son who is diagnosed with intellectual and mental disabilities. "This enables me to see life from all perspectives for my students."
Comments from a few of Martha's peers here at Jo Kelly School:
From Sherri Merchant:
Martha would do anything for anyone! She goes above and beyond! I am very blessed to be on the Middle School Team working alongside Martha! Martha truly has a heart of Gold and deserves more than ever to be Teacher of the Year! God Bless Martha!
From Bob Chochola:
“Martha moved-over to Middle School from High School a couple of years ago and brought to our team character, experience, and a great big heart that expresses love for our students every day. Martha connects with our special needs students and they respond to her in a big way. As department chair I can say from the bottom of my heart that Martha changed the dynamic on our team in a positive way. Her unique ideas and teaching style make the rest of us better teachers. I’m proud to have served along side Martha and can think of no one more deserving of the Teacher of the Year honor.”
From Mary McKinnie:
Martha is a wonderful mentor at Jo Kelly. She is kind, always willing to help, and has much experience to share. She loves her students immensely and works closely with families so that they meet their IEP goals. She is a pleasure to have at our campus and I look forward to learning from her in the years to come!
From Debbie Oliver
Martha loves her students as her own. She truly cares about them and wants to make certain they are happy and healthy. She cares about all her coworkers, as well.
From Robyn Irizarry
Congrats, Martha! Have a great summer!
Teacher of the Year 2019
Bob Chochola
Congratulations Bob from all of us at Jo Kelly School!
Bob Chochola has been a teacher on the Jo Kelly staff since August of 2015.
"Teaching special needs students has been a call to service for me and I approach it every day with the gratitude and humility it deserves. The opportunity to serve students and their families at Jo Kelly School is an honor and a privilege. I look forward to these new challenges always." -Bob Chochola
"It is an honor to represent Jo Kelly School as the Teacher of the Year for the 2018-2019 school year. Our staff is second-to-none in my opinion and my hope is to be a reflection of our entire team throughout this distinction."
Bob has had the privilege of serving not only as a special education teacher, but also as department chair and PLC team leader for two outstanding 香港六合彩直播开奖 schools, since his initial hire date in September of 2007.
He began his teaching career with 香港六合彩直播开奖 as a substitute teacher, while he continued to work as a freelance writer and TV producer. His first year as a full time teacher for students with special needs was at Forest Oak Middle School in 2010. He then moved-on to Daggett Middle School in 2011. Go Bulldogs!
Mr. Chochola's Bachelor’s Degree is in Music Composition and Performance and is from Columbia College in 1992 and He earned a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Roosevelt University in 1994. Both schools are located in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois.
Teaching is a relatively recent career move for him. While he was attending college, he became a television writer and producer for CBS News in Chicago and continued to work for more than twenty years for news and entertainment organizations like CBS News, FOX News/Sports, ABC News, music programming, and independent programming. He received the prestigious Aegis Award in 1998 for journalism excellence. In 1999 he received an Emmy Award nomination from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, for a documentary that he produced for Saturday morning children programming on the discovery of the Titanic.
Bob was born and raised in the Chicago area. CBS in Dallas/Fort Worth hired him in 1996 and he has lived in North Texas ever since.
_________________
He believes his most significant contribution and accomplishment in education happens every day in his classroom. "I wake-up and go work in order to serve my students, their families, and our community.
Teaching special needs students has been a call to service for me and I approach it every day with gratitude and humility. I have a wonderful opportunity to have an impact on the lives I serve and on a much broader scale the future of our country."
"Sometimes random people ask me how I relate to kids so well. It’s a gift. I don’t take that gift lightly. In fact, I look at it as a charge or responsibility. I’m a care giver. I’m a voice for students and their families. I’m a resource for those families. I am a connection and sometimes a buffer between the community and government. I am an agent of communication, action, and change."
When Bob first decided to go to graduate school, he considered a Master’s in Education. As the John Lennon lyric goes, “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans” and so TV became his passion for the next two decades. It wasn’t until he found himself in the middle of a job search two decades later that he decided to pick-up where he left-off in the field of Education.
"The Special Education classroom found me! Serendipitous is a very good word to describe how I got here, but I also had much help from many good people along the way."
___________________
Bob's civic involvement revolves mostly around church activities. He recently returned home from a mission trip to Union de Reyes, Cuba. This was his second trip to Cuba since 2015. "I find it most interesting the connection between 'the mission' on those church sponsored trips and our collective mission at 香港六合彩直播开奖. Our mission was relationship. We embarked upon a mission of building a personal connection to the people of Cuba through programs like prayer partners, where we write letters and emails to maintain a presence with our specific prayer partner. I have also made a great connection via social media to a number of my new Cuban friends."
Bob has volunteered at Community Crossroads on Hemphill Street in Fort Worth every Wednesday for the past six years, playing bass guitar in the band and making a connection to so many economically disadvantaged people in the city of Fort Worth. He has been a paid musician for over forty years, released two albums and toured with an independent record label out of Oklahoma City. "Making music each Wednesday evening with the all-volunteer band at Community Crossroads lets me give back in a most enjoyable way. We have dinner and worship together and we lead bible study with kids and adults."
Mr. Chochola is a trained and certified Stephen Minister. The Stephen Ministry program provides grief counseling and committed laypersons who train to walk with people in crisis. "This ministry has introduced me to a very special group of people to serve - and people with whom to serve."
"I have also had the pleasure of providing meals and companionship to homeless people through our Room in the Inn program and have assembled holiday meals for families in need through the Tarrant County Food Bank."
-
Teacher Assistant of the Year 2021
Eileen Baze
Eileen loves her job at Jo Kelly School! The 2020-2021 school year will begin her 23rd year of serving Jo Kelly. Eileen worked primarily with the elementary students for the first 18 years. For the next four years, she was the floating assistant and/or assigned as needed. Eileen is Jo Kelly School's Web Manager and has been for the last 3 years. "I believe the webpage is a great tool to illustrate to families and our community the unique educational program of Jo Kelly School."
In her spare time Eileen is a cyclist who loves gardening.
"By Perseverance the Snail Reached the Ark!"
***
Teacher Assistant of the Year 2020
Treasett Horner-Davis
Treasett started serving the students of Jo Kelly School in January of 2018. She assists Mrs. McKinnie in the elementary wing. Treasett excelled as an assistant and was able to train a new teacher to the building after her first year!
She was voted as Teacher Assistant of the Year due to her work ethic, personality, and her genuine relationships with the staff and students.
"I would love to continue working at Jo Kelly as a Teacher Assistant. Hopefully, in a few years, I will be Teacher of the Year!"
Comments from a few of Treasett's peers here at Jo Kelly School:
From Mary Mckinnie:
When I was a new teacher at Jo Kelly, Treasett was so patient with me as I learned the details of my new position. Treasett truly has a servant heart, always willing to help anyone with anything. She has built special relationships with each one of our students as well as students/staff throughout the building. She is kind, generous, and a joy to work with. She is studying to be a special education teacher and I know that her experience and beautiful spirit will make her a wonderful teacher!
From Robyn Irizarry:
Treasett, I've had the privilege of watching you learn, grow and love since your first day at Jo Kelly. It's clear to see, you were made for this job. Congratulations!
From Sherri Merchant:
She is one of a kind! I love to watch her teach & interact with her students! She has a natural gift teaching in Special Education! She is a true gift to Jo Kelly School! God Bless!From Debbie Oliver:
Treasett has been a remarkable addition to our staff. She loves her students and spends time learning their unique personalities. Her calm demeanor helps set the tone for their learning. She will make an amazing teacher very soon.
Teacher Assistant of the Year 2018-2019
Bridgette Miles
Congratulations Bridgette from all of us at Jo Kelly School!
Bridgette Miles started out as a FW香港六合彩直播开奖 bus driver for three years where she was introduced and fell in love with special needs students. She had several routes that were special needs and Jo Kelly was her preferred school.
Lucky for us she joined the Jo Kelly Staff as a Special Education Teacher Assistant in 2016!
Bridgette would like to stay at Jo Kelly School until retirement and move up the ladder as far as her knowledge, skills, and abilities will take her. With the help of her current teacher Mrs. Sherri Merchant, her experience at Jo Kelly School has been a fun and memorable one.
She is a recent graduate who received an Associate Degree in Business Administration. Bridgette is currently studying to get her Bachelor’s in Psychology and will work towards becoming a Special Education Teacher. She would like to continue to work with special need students and be part of this particular environment on a different level She is looking forward to what lies ahead in her journey of working in Special Education!
“I was recently awarded Teacher Assistant of the Year due to my work ethics and other unique factors such as my personality! “
"It takes a special group of people to work with a special group of children. I'm glad to be a part of this group. To all the Caretakers, thank you for all that you do in your positions. This goes for Special Education, Regular Education as well as the Caretakers outside the School District." -Bridgette Miles