FERNDALE TEACHER OF THE YEAR

The Ferndale School District recognized Ruth Tavalire, Jason Gillespie and Ryan Dunlap as elementary, middle and high school Teachers of the Year on Friday, June 14.  Adding to this honor, Jason Gillespie was chosen in a random drawing among the three to receive a free, one year lease of an automobile provided by Suburban Buick GMC of Ferndale.

                “We are pleased to have Ferndale as one of eight school districts where The Suburban Collection recognizes an outstanding and award-winning teacher with the free lease of a vehicle for a year,” said Rick Perry, general sales manager of Suburban Buick GMC of Ferndale.  “Our program provides The Suburban Collection with a means of providing a special thank you for the ongoing commitment to excellence by teachers in the communities where we do business.”
                Elementary Teacher of the Year Ruth Tavalire has been a teacher in the Ferndale Public Schools since 1991. She currently teaches Grade 6 at Coolidge Intermediate School, and she has also taught at Coolidge Middle School, Washington Elementary and Harding Elementary where she has specialized in social studies and English language arts instruction. She is part of Coolidge’s School Improvement Team and infuses technology into her lessons in innovative ways. She was district Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2003.

                Middle School Teacher of the Year Jason Gillespie has taught Social Studies at Ferndale Middle School since 2001. He has also taught Environmental Science and Leadership courses and he served as the Ferndale Education Association President from 2010 to 2012. In 2012, he served as an administrative intern at Roosevelt Primary School where he worked with students, has coached many sports, advises the National Junior Honor Society and coordinates community service projects, as well as fundraisers within the school.

High School Teacher of the Year Ryan Dunlap has been a Science teacher in Ferndale since 2000, the Head Football Coach since 2006, and Camp Skyline Adult Facilitator since 2002. He redesigned the football program with a collaborative team study program and higher academic standards. He has been a teacher-mentor at the annual Camp Skyline student communications and leadership retreat, volunteered to teach at ACT Prep Camps, set up services for Charity Days and the annual canned food drives, and has developed two innovative and popular courses for his students: Wilderness Survival and Biological Diversity.

In addition to Ferndale, The Suburban Collection this year awarded a one-year lease of a vehicle to “Teachers of the Year” in seven other communities in Southeastern Michigan where they do business.  These school systems include:  Birmingham, Troy, Novi, Sterling Heights/Utica, Farmington, Clarkston and Waterford.