Connie Hines is named
the Broward County Teacher of the Year 2003.
Accountability is a catchphrase that is thrown around with great regularity
in educational circles. But in Connie Hines' class at Sunrise Middle
School, it isn't only student performance that is monitored. She asks
students to keep tabs on her as well.
"I frequently survey my students to monitor learning as well
as asking parents to seek feedback from their children about my teaching,"
Ms. Hines said. "This is the best way for me to reinforce my
strengths."
Visit her classroom and in no time at all you'll see that Ms. Hines
takes great pride in being a teacher. She knows that her students
will do well only if she does well as a teacher. It is this dedication
and her unwavering commitment to helping her students succeed that
earned Connie Hines the title of Broward County Teacher
of the Year 2003.
As an educator for 13 years, Ms. Hines has been teaching Social Studies
for the past 3 1/2 years at Sunrise Middle in Fort Lauderdale. Spend
a few moments with Ms. Hines and one thing is clear: she has never
lost focus on the most important goal of education – student
achievement. One thing she has learned during her career is to make
sure to involve parents and guardians in the educational process.
Everyone has to play a part.
"They are my partners in education," Ms. Hines said. "They
are my greatest allies."
At the beginning of each year, right off the bat she works to build
rapport with parents and guardians. She frequently makes call to their
home and takes every opportunity to meet with them – all in an
effort to keep the lines of communication open.
Ms. Hines even gives out her business card with her home phone number
on it because, "not everyone has the opportunity to call me at
school" she said. In fact, she lives near her school and is an
active participant in the surrounding community.
"I've had parents knock on my door to check on how their child
was doing," Ms. Hines said with a laugh. "I run into students
and parents at Publix all the time – it's no problem."
She truly cares for her students and wants to see them all do well
– not just in her class, but throughout their lives. And one
thing she stresses is community involvement.
"I believe getting students active in the community helps them
learn citizenship and responsibility," said Ms. Hines. "As
a Social Studies teacher, I consider promoting civic responsibility
my duty and privilege."
Superintendent of Schools,Dr. Frank
Till congratulates Connie Hines, Broward County Teacher of the
Year 2003
Ms. Hines seeks out and creates opportunities for her students to
be active and responsible citizens. Over the years she has engaged
them in several community service projects including: a community
rally after the events of September 11th; a Veterans Awareness Week;
a canned food drive; and a lobbying effort to politicians – local,
state and national – to provide crossing guards for middle schools.
But it was her students' efforts after September 11th that really
the impact her students could have on the community.
After September 11th, her class crafted "freedom bracelets"
which were sold to benefit the relief efforts. Ms. Hines' class collected
and donated nearly $2,000 to the American Red Cross. But the project
didn't stop there.
Many families in the community were affected by 9/11, mainly due to
lay-offs. Sunrise Middle stepped up and organized a canned food drive
that helped more than 150 families get through some tough times.
"I want my students to become involved with the community in
which they live," said Ms. Hines. "These projects remind
me that community involvement has endless benefits – it creates
a sense of camaraderie, school and community pride and offers real-world
connections for students."
For Ms. Hines, schools do not exist in a vacuum. They are part of
the community, and the community is part of them. And she encourages
her fellow teachers to follow her lead and become "agents for
change."
"As [teachers], we face many challenging issues and we have a
choice to be part of the problem or part of the solution," said
Ms. Hines. "We must accept the challenges and work to create
a solution."
It is her dedication to her students, her fellow teachers and the
teaching profession and her community that has earned Connie Hines
the title of Broward County Teacher of the Year 2003.
