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Links| Wrestling Coach named Teacher of the Year |
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| Written by Cynthia Howe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Aptos Times: February 2010  What sort of characteristics does an educator have to exhibit to be named “Teacher of the Year” by the California League of High School teachers? They must be dedicated, proactive, innovative, exhibiting enthusiasm as well as professionalism. Reggie Roberts, this year’s Teacher of the Year, demonstrates all of those attributes, and so much more.Reggie teaches at Aptos High School where he also coaches the Wrestling team. The special education program he has helped develop and administer within his classroom is unique, inspiring and powerful. The program centers on healing the whole child within an established culture that exudes a positive spirit within a support peer group. The students come from all over the county. Some of these students have been written off by other teachers as “unteachable,” while still others have walked out of newspaper stories of tragedy, violence and abuse, left to put together the pieces of their lives. These pieces are often far too heavy for them to carry alone. With a passion for changing lives, Reggie has developed a strong team, utilizing the services of the local county group homes, the high school administration, and the services of the Santa Cruz county mental health department. “We’re able to provide support to the students who require it the most from an academic and mental health standpoint.” Reggie shared. “Steve Legallet, a Mental Health Therapist with the mental health department, is wonderful to work with as he reaches the students who can’t be reached. The administration at the High School is extremely supportive and Ralph Howe, our School Psychologist is tremendous also.” Reggie has spent the past seven years at Aptos High School building a program centered on re-building lives. He has a three point goal-setting system: Academic goals, “life 101” goals and athletic goals. These goals are often assessed and evaluated. The success rate runs on average about 97%, resulting in an “A” for the program overall. What is it about this program that defines success in an otherwise unsuccessful pattern for similar classes in other districts? “Before these students get to my program they have been told over and over again what they can’t do and where they’re failing.” Reggie shared, “I’ve developed a positive peer culture over the years. We focus on what the student can do and let the rest go.” Reggie sets clear expectations for the students and then holds them accountable in a positive and directional manner. He comes along side and creates a bond of teamwork. The other students perpetuate the positive spirit, encouraging each other to succeed. Reggie shared, “the kids in the classroom have a saying when someone gets discouraged and they seem to be on the verge of shutting down. They tell them: ‘Don’t cheat yourself out of the opportunity to do something’”. When Reggie was young, he started out at the Junior College, studying to be a journalist. He soon realized he really enjoyed working with people on a more personal level, so he went back to school to get a Psychology degree. He was then coaching wrestling and someone recommended the position at the Behavior Research Institute. “I’ve been working in the Mental Health and Special Education fields for the last 18 years, and I still wake up in the morning excited about the work day in front of me.” The California League of High Schools holds an annual conference for those teachers who have been nominated by their schools. Each nominated teacher gives a speech at the conference. At the end of that conference the pool of Principals votes, but cannot vote for their own teacher. This year they were impressed by the passion of this Special Education Teacher. Reggie said, “Getting the award was second to just having a platform to share about my students and what our program has been able to achieve. Most teachers don’t really know what goes on in a classroom like mine. You could have heard a pin drop.” In the history of the award, it has never been bestowed on a special education teacher before. Most schools, as a whole, don’t even know the names of their special education teachers, but that’s not the case at Aptos High: everyone knows Coach Reggie. His coaching has helped build a bridge between regular and special education through his approachability, visibility and most significantly, in his coaching he maintains the same positive spirit set on well-versed expectations. Reggie shared, “I truly believe that the road you choose to take ends up at a certain destination for a certain reason.” There are a total of 63 special education students, past and present, that are very thankful the road led Reggie to Aptos High. Photos by Cynthia Howe
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Annabel Burton • Astrologer ©
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Find Out More www.AnnabelBurton.TV Virgo (Aug. 24-Sep. 22)
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Venus is powerfully placed in your sign at the start of this month, and brings to you people and experiences that are pleasurable and fun. Romance is on the agenda too, whether you are single or otherwise, since this can reinvigorate what was becoming a little jaded. But there are other important influences too, particularly around your ideas and thoughts for travel and exploration. The adventurous spirit that inspires you may make you a little dissatisfied with your lot, and you seek other opportunities that may take you out of your comfort zone. Wait till after the 23rd for important decisions.
Although Saturn is back briefly in your sign again, this is not going to stop you or hinder you in any way. mars here ensures that you have the power and energy to push forward and be assertive as necessary which you fine you have to be currently. It's not that you are going against the flow, but you do feel you are being tested at times. Around the 11th, there are important developments regarding an organization that you are involved in and there could be something in it for you. In the last week, find some space for a little bit of rest and relaxation.
Later this month, Saturn enters your sign again and you have learned lessons from the past, and now you are ready to put them into practice. In a professional sense, July is full of promise and hope and you are able to make the most of this particularly after the 10th, when Venus moves into Virgo. At this point, you are influential in an understated way and your creativity and imagination are enhanced. Use this time for preparation and for developing ideas. A change and challenge regarding your relationship can upset the apple cart but bring deeper understanding if you ride the storm.
An important eclipse occurs in your chart area of long term relationships around the 11th. Whether you have been building up to this point and see this as a final chapter to what you have experienced before depends on where you are now. For some, it can bring about a fated meeting of minds and hearts. Meanwhile, you could be offered something completely different on the work front, and you are okay with the idea of using a bad situation to create the beginnings of something fantastic. Not many people can take to this like you can. Play to your strengths.
Your ruler, Jupiter, turns retrograde this month and even though you may have experienced the power and upheaval of the links between this planet and Uranus, still you can now have something of a respite. As it is, you are driven by discovering what is best for you and yours in the face of life changing events. Indeed, you may be considering following your heart at the expense of your finances for a once in a lifetime experience. This can cause a stir and there will be those who urge you to play safe. But you have other ideas!
If you are in a relationship, what you and your other half decide this month can set the tone for several months to come. Unusual circumstances require a leap of faith and you are not the kind of person that will stay down if you're knocked down. This is one of those times, that, whatever happens, you can see that not everything can be planned for and as such it's time to accept what is. By doing this, you will see that in time you wouldn't have chosen it any other way. Meanwhile, this can be a fabulously romantic time and deepen what you already have with a loved one.
When the forces of erratic Uranus combine with might Jupiter in the fiery sign of Aries, then this is one of those times where powerful change is something that you need to adapt to and use all your inventive skills to turn the situation you are in to your advantage. You actually feel more confident and sure of yourself as you can combine new ideas with old ways of developing them. You will need to do plenty of research and talk to those who have knowledge that you seek, but you are enjoying the journey and the people you meet on the way.
This month is harmonious for you since the position of the Sun is illuminating your chart area of enjoyment, creativity and pleasure, and to a certain extent, risk taking. Allow your curiosity to open doors and take you to new places that are so far undiscovered. Enjoy an experience for the first time and try something new without the fear of failure and looking stupid. Master a craft which is new to you. All these things are possible this month which restores your enthusiasm and joy. Others benefit form the new radiant you.
With the Sun in your chart area of domestic bliss, you have something of a nesting instinct at the moment, and consequently you are looking to create the perfect cosy space to view the world from. This is necessary since there are other major changes going on in your life at the moment, and at times of change there is a combination of fear and excitement. You know that you have to follow through and be positive as there is a reason for everything. After the 23rd life is much more in your favour and you can see what an impression you are making!
At the start of the month, you need to reconcile the differences concerning your finances. New employment opportunities are likely, or more accurately, additional opportunities. There is not much let up as the pace is frantic and and eclipse in this part of your chart can shift your circumstances somewhat. Still, you love a challenge and feel particularly switched on this month. It's back to scattering yourself to thin again and you need to focus. Only you can make the decision about how exactly to do this.
This time of year is when you feel most empowered and energized as the Sun is in your sign, at least until the 23rd. Mercury is here as well, giving you the ability to assimilate a mine of information as well as creating the circumstances for some hard core networking and socializing. This is not the time to be a shrinking violet! Be aware of important changes going on at work which you may or may not welcome, but it's vital to adopt and see this as a stepping stone to somewhere you hadn't considered before. Make a note of the 11th as a kind of turning point.Readers
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