Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

12/8/06

NEWS RELEASE
Auburn School District Board of Directors
Honors Staff Member Peggy Mayer

The Auburn School District board of directors will recognize Peggy Mayer, special education and early childhood education teacher at Gildo Rey Elementary School, for her outstanding service to the Auburn School District on Monday, December 11, at 7 p.m. in the board room at the James P. Fugate Administration Building.

Classroom 601 at Gildo Rey Elementary School is a child’s delight. Cut-out turkeys adorn the ceiling, jigsaw puzzles fill the tables, a miniature bowling alley awaits student patrons, and a replicated grocery store and checkout counter is open for business. And don’t forget the art supplies, toys to play “house” and color-drenched bulletin boards—this is Peggy Mayer’s classroom.

Peggy Mayer is a Special Education and Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher at Gildo Rey Elementary School. Her primary responsibility is to prepare young children, typically between the ages of three and five, for kindergarten. What may sound like a simple task is actually quite challenging. “In my program, I sometimes have kids functioning below a three-year-old level,” states Peggy, “and it’s my job to help them grow and get ready for their next educational step.”

The young students in Peggy’s a.m. and p.m. classes are very diverse. Peggy has both students with special needs, such as students with autism and other learning disabilities, as well as students who are progressing at age-appropriate expectations. While Peggy’s classroom makeup is different, she teaches every student individually, centering her curriculum on fun activities. “We cook, we create arts and crafts projects, we play games in gym and we do lots of other fun and engaging activities that teach fine motor skills, communication skills and more,” remarks Peggy. “I believe kids can have fun while learning.”

Peggy has witnessed incredible growth among her students. “One year I had a three-year-old student who was unable to do the simplest school-related tasks such as cut and paste,” recalls Peggy. After Peggy’s three years with this child, the child was dismissed to a regular kindergarten program not needing further special needs services. Peggy is grateful for these bigger-than-life success stories, yet cherishes the small accomplishments all the same, like the time one of her students with an eating disorder took a bite of food for the first time in her class, or the time a student said her name for the first time. “Watching a child’s growth and seeing their success is why I teach preschool,” says Peggy.

Another exciting aspect of the preschool program is the family community connection days. Family community connections occur on Fridays throughout the school year, typically one to two times per month. Parents and their children get together and participate in a variety of activities. Peggy’s students and their families have gone to a gymnastics studio, swimming pool and roller-skating rink. They’ve also fished, toured a grocery store, picked pumpkins and prepared a Thanksgiving feast. A favorite event among the families is a holiday event in December when families make crafts, bake cookies and read The Night Before Christmas together. The program also encourages parents to take a parenting class through Green River Community College.

Peggy is devoted to her young students, which is evident by her commitment to lifelong learning. Peggy has taken multiple autism courses to increase her knowledge of the condition and to be more aware of the needs of children with autism. Peggy also stays abreast of early childhood education trends by attending both in-service workshops and outside workshops on preschool curriculum and activities. Peggy knows sign language and teaches it to her students who are struggling with language skills, and she also recently participated in an early literacy study through the Washington Research Institute.

Peggy’s resume includes a special education bachelors degree from Seattle University and a masters degree from Lesley University. She has been in her current position at Gildo Rey for 12 years. She led the staff communication committee for many years, and she organizes the school’s annual food drive, mentors other preschool teachers, teaches district-wide workshops and has presented at the ECE national conference. In addition, Peggy was honored as Gildo Rey’s PTA teacher of the year in 2005-06.

Peggy attributes her success of reaching young children to her own youthful spirit. “I guess I’m just a child at heart,” says Peggy. She also acknowledges that her success is directly related to the support of her team. “Laini, Stephanie, Hilary, Jennifer, Tamara, Robin and Julie are my support team; I couldn’t do what I do without them.”

For more information contact Amy Spence, public information officer, at (253) 931-4713.