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There are not enough words to describe the impact Dawn Davis has had on the children of Davis County. Ms. Davis works as a special educator in a self-contained Functional Skills classroom at Foxboro Elementary School, Davis School District. I truly feel that Ms. Davis has the most difficult job assignment in our building. On a daily basis, she is not only educating her students according to the curriculum with specific accommodations; but, she is also teaching social skills, toileting, feeding, and communicating with the parents, staff, and administration.
Dawn is progressive and knowledgeable about educational issues. Her knowledge and enthusiasm allow her to navigate the sometimes fragile processes in an educational setting. Keeping herself informed on the latest research, ideas and strategies have enhanced her natural capabilities as an educator. The students in Ms. Davis' class have a wide variety of needs and abilities. She uses this information to design curriculum that is interesting and progressive for each child. The parents and the students are used as an important part of the team to help each child make progress. This sense of team work, fostered by Dawn, encourages all involved to work together.
Dawn teaches a class that is considered by most to be a very difficult and undesirable class. Her positive attitude is unmatched. Each day she comes to work, she greets her students with a smile and a renewed spirit. Ms. Davis is a great role model to not only her students, but the rest of the staff. Her loving but firm attitude helps her staff and her students succeed. When she can see a problem with a student in another class, she is willing to share her expertise and help coach the teacher with a variety of interventions.
Dawn has made up stories about different topics in school, such as: working in the classroom, at recess, washing our hands, reciting the pledge, expectations at school, expectations at lunch, and fire drills. They repeat these stories every day and they help the students know how to act appropriately in each situation. In her classroom she has a student who is afraid of fire drills. Because of the social story Dawn wrote about fire drills and how they keep us safe, this student is able to walk out now with her regular education class without crying. Dawn has been able to share her knowledge on how to make social stories with other teachers in our school, so their students understand what is expected of them.
All of the extra effort that Dawn puts in does often go unnoticed. I feel that she deserves to receive this award so she may have the recognition for all the extra effort and time she puts into her class. Her job never ends even after she goes home because she is always thinking of ideas on what can help her students and what can make things run more efficiently in the classroom.
--Michelle Daly
