FARMINGTON -- On April 29, 90 employees were honored for exemplary service with four individuals receiving Hall of Fame honors.
Lynette Day was awarded the district's top honor as Davis District Teacher of the Year for 2004. Day is a fourth-grade teacher at East Layton Elementary School and a 25-year "veteran of the classroom." She is noted for using "exploration" to "spark" a love of learning in her students.Going the extra-mile, Day creates a math kit for each student and organizes events such as fossil digs and science fair competitions in-character with costumes.
Day has carried her educational responsibilities with extra care and compassion for all her students, including some deemed more "fragile." All this in spite of her own tragedies: the untimely death of a daughter and her own battle with cancer.
Classified Employee of 2004, Todd Blanscett, is commended for his positive attitude and willingness to provide much needed support and maintenance as a custodial worker.
His team-player attitude has made him invaluable to staff and students alike. His talent helped re-fabricate a roll maker to a better student-size and saved the district thousands of dollars in potential fines by contacting chemical companies and upgrading a system into full compliance.
Kitt Barney, a second-grade teacher at Clinton Elementary School received the Elementary Teacher of the Year 2004 award. She planned and produced the school's first outdoor science classroom, applying for several grants to fund it. She has an early childhood endorsement, a mild/moderate endorsement in special ed, an ESL endorsement and will complete her master's degree this spring.
Secondary Teacher of the Year award went to Northridge High School social studies teacher, RaDon Gatherum Andersen. Anderson's work day begins earlier and ends later than required. She has been instrumental in the school's Academy program, and supported student work on WWII and the Depression archived at the Layton History Museum and Utah State Historical Society.
District second graders will benefit from historical curriculum packet she designed about the area. Andersen is ESL endorsed, tutors ESL students and is pursuing a master's degree.