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FEATURES (This article, reprinted with permission, featuring Carole Steward Ennis, class of 1972, appeared in This Week In Bexley on May 8, 2003)
A visit on May 1 to the Montrose Elementary School library by school officials and family members brought news to sixth-grade teacher Carole Ennis that she had been selected as the 2003 Bexley Educator of the Year. “Wow! I’m am so honored and totally shocked,” Ennis said at the announcement and presentation of a crystal apple. She was teaching her class at the time, and students cheered and applauded. Ninth-grade student Allison Heiser, with her hair in curlers in preparation for a high school musical, participated in the surprise presentation.“Everyone loves her,” said Heiser, who was taught by Ennis when she was a sixth-grader. “She has a special presence. She challenged us and created a love and excitement for learning in every student. She saw each student as individual and treated every child with care and respect. Mrs. Ennis brings out Foundation’s Educator of the best in everyone she meets, and leaves a bit of herself with each person.” The Educator of the Year Award is sponsored by The Bexley Education Foundation and funded by the Robert A. Glick Endowment Fund, a component of the Columbus Jewish Foundation. The award is presented annually and recognizes leadership, dedication and extraordinary achievements of a Bexley City Schools educator. Ennis will be recognized publicly and presented with a $1,000 cash award at the Bexley Education Appreciation Banquet May 21 at Capital University.Past recipients include BHS Band Director Jeff Schneider, Donna Taylor of Cassingham Elementary, Karen Haylor of Maryland Avenue Elementary, high school science teacher Scott Logsdon and middle school language arts teacher Ken Stewart. Ennis lives in Reynoldsburg with her husband, Mike. They have two children: Patrick, 25, who lives in Akron; and Kate, 22, of Cincinnati. The Ennises are expecting their first grandchild in a month. Carole Ennis’ parents, Ruth and Elmer Fritts, were long-time Bexley residents. Ennis, a Bexley graduate, began her teaching career in 1975 as a teacher in the Bloom-Carroll school district. In 1980, she returned to the school where she had spent her elementary days as a student -- Montrose. She has been praised as an enthusiastic educator who motivates others by her active involvement in educational practices, both at Montrose and in the community. “Carole is absolutely the best example of what we look for in a teacher at Montrose,” said Montrose Principal Terry Black. “This is a great day for her and for the school.” Her concern for students includes behind-the-scenes work during music performances. She has been known to conduct extra practices with students at lunch, videotape productions and organize props. She is a volunteer chauffeur for the cellos and basses when the school orchestra and band travel to performances. For many years, she helped with the Bexley Cloggers, a popular dance group featuring many Montrose students. She learned to clog dance, helped teach, directed shows and hauled equipment for shows around Ohio.As a sixth-grade teacher, she tries to ease transition to middle school for her students by balancing the elementary atmosphere with expectations and responsibilities for seventh grade. “I tell my children to trust in themselves,” Ennis said. “Our Montrose students do really well in middle school.” Ennis’ sister, Sherry Heisterkamp, retired from teaching at Maryland Avenue last year. Both said that they couldn’t imagine doing anything but teaching. Ennis said that by fifth grade, she knew she wanted to be a teacher. “Some of my earliest memories with Sherry were playing school as children,” Ennis said. “She was older so I was the student. I followed her as a role model.” Ennis has kept in touch with many former students. They often visit her years later and many correspond through email. “When I need a little inspiration, I pull out letters from former students,” she said. She expects to retire from the Bexley school system in two years but plans to stay involved in teaching. She is looking at the possibility of supervising student teachers and intends to return to Bexley as a volunteer. The selection committee for this year’s award: BEF board members Bob Darwin, Julie Bloch Glassman and Karen Milenthal; board of education member Diane Peterson; community members Vivian Bichsel, Dr. Donna Berlin of the OSU School of Teaching & Learning and Dr. Tobie Sanders, chair of the Department of Education at Capital University. |
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