La Paloma Academy Teacher Honored as One of the Top Ten Teachers in AZJunior high teacher April Rubasch recognized for her commitment to students, teachers Tucson, AZ (10/31/11) – La Paloma Academy has announced that one of the junior high reading teachers at its Central campus, April Rubasch, is being recognized as one of the Top Ten Teachers in Arizona by the Arizona Charter Schools Association (ACSA). A teacher for six years at the K-8 charter school, Mrs. Rubasch earned the honor due to her extraordinary accomplishments in the classroom. She will be recognized in a printed program at the 2011 ACSA Annual Conference, which will take place November 10 and 11 at Tucson’s Westin La Paloma. Rubasch was nominated as a Top Ten Teacher for her dedication to her students and fellow teachers, as well as her endless enthusiasm for learning and teaching. She teaches her students the value of reading through collaborative learning groups and literature celebrations, and utilizes curriculum-based measurements to ensure her students are both grasping the material and developing a lasting love of learning. “Every year, students look forward to when they are in seventh or eighth grade for the opportunity to take part in Mrs. Rubasch’s thematic units,” said Raena Janes, Founder and Superintendent of La Paloma Academy. “Even students who have moved on to high school or college come back to visit Mrs. Rubasch, and they always speak of how much they learned in junior high reading and how much they appreciated her commitment to teaching.” In addition to having a positive impact on her La Paloma students, Rubasch is also an instrumental member of the professional teaching community. She is La Paloma’s Junior High Team Lead and puts in extra time to mentor every new junior high teacher. “She is the exactly what you would want when you are a parent looking for a teacher for your child, a teacher looking for a mentor, or a student looking for a coach to provide the  best reading instruction possible,” said Janes. “She inspires a love of learning in her students and a love of teaching in her coworkers.” As a reward for her contributions to the classroom and dedication to inspiring her students, Rubasch will receive free registration to the ACSA Annual Conference, care of Charter School Capitol. The 2011 Arizona Charter Schools Conference will celebrate 16 years of charter education and school choice. To learn more about La Paloma Academy, please visit www.lpatucson.org. For an interview with La Paloma Superintendent Raena Janes, please call the contacts listed at the bottom of this release. About La Paloma AcademyAs the largest and fastest-growing charter school system in Southern Arizona, La Paloma Academy continually discovers new fun and innovative ways to make the educational experience at each of its campuses entertaining and challenging. In just three short years, La Paloma experienced unprecedented growth, expanding from one campus in Tucson with 350 students to two campuses with over 1,400 students. Raena Janes, the founder and superintendent of La Paloma Academy, focuses her efforts on education with individualized instruction, incorporation of extra curricular activities and emphasis on the importance of family and community values. La Paloma Academy was awarded the State of Arizona’s 2005 Excellence in Education Award. In addition, Ms. Janes was named as one of Tucson’s 40 Under 40 in 2006, Phoenix’s 40 Under 40 in 2011 and Tucson’s Mentor of the Year in 2008. Visit the school’s website at www.lpatucson.org. MEDIA CONTACTS:
Karen Gavender Website: www.lpatucson.org |
