Royal Oak’s Outstanding Teachers of The Year

Royal Oak’s Outstanding Teachers of The Year:

The 2007 Oakland County Outstanding Teacher Awards were held April 19th 2007 at the Oakland Schools facility in Waterford, MI.  Fifty-three (53) outstanding educators from the county’s twenty-eight (28) school districts were in attendance at the celebration.

The School District of The City of Royal Oak was honored to have in attendance our 2007 Secondary Outstanding Teacher of The Year, Perry Cicchini (Royal Oak High School) and 2007 Elementary Outstanding Teacher of The Year, Laura Gavey (Oakland Elementary School).

The program guide for the evening featured the following information regarding Perry:

Perry Chicchini is a high school English teacher at Royal Oak High School.  He has been teaching for 18 years and holds a Bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and a Master’s degree from Oakland University.  He is a longtime Forestry Club advisor and the founder of Dondero Camp-A-Thon, which has raised more than $20,000 for local causes such as Common Ground Sanctuary, Focus Hope and The South Oakland Shelter over the past 10 years.  Perry is respected for his understanding of students as individuals.  “He has a genuine interest in each and every one of them and takes the time to get to know them and what makes them tick,” writes nominator Sam Lynch.  Adds colleague Ann Maudlin, “The depth of exchange in Perry’s room is rigorous, academic, and rife with both weight and possibility – a sense of what’s real and important, and a sense too, of what can be . . . what should be.”

The program guide for the evening featured the following information regarding Laura:

Laura Gavey is a Reading Curriculum Resource Teacher at Oakland Elementary School in Royal Oak.  She has worked in education for 15 years and holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University and a Master’s degree from Oakland University.  She also serves as the MEAP Coordinator, crisis team member, professional learning community power standards study group member, and Stanford Testing Coordinator.  Laura’s work with Reading Recovery helps students meet their potential and involves other teachers in gathering data about students to better meet their needs.  She also helps her colleagues select material to align with the curriculum and grade level content expectations (GLCEs).  Parent Kristen Thomas says, “Mentor, mediator, reader and rescuer, a real and true advocate for our children in school every day.  I feel as a parent my kids are smarter, safer and happier because of the work Laura Gavey dedicates her life to.”  Student Andria Wallen adds, “Mrs. Gavey filled our minds with ideas and we put them out on paper.”

Congratulations to Royal Oak’s 2007 Secondary Outstanding Teacher of The Year, Perry Cicchini and to Royal Oak’s 2007 Elementary Outstanding Teacher of The Year, Laura Gavey!  Thank you for your passion for teaching and your dedication to the Royal Oak School District.