Christina Berzina
J.P. Lord
Special Education
Christina Berzina, an Omaha native has been with OPS for nine years, all of them at J.P. Lord. She has a B.S. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. A colleague wrote: “When you walk into Kristina’s classroom you are greeted by a very warm and inviting atmosphere. Her calm manner and her positive attitude set the stage for her students. Not only have her students improved since they entered her room, but they are thriving.” Another said: “She values the support of parents and caregivers. She keeps them informed and includes them whenever possible in the educational program. She is willing to do any work that needs to be done in the care of her students.”

Penny Coonce
Benson West Elementary
Special Education
Penny Coonce has been with OPS for 17 years, the last nine at Benson West. She has a B.S. and an M.A. from Peru State College. A colleague said: “Penny is a frequent provider of respite care for the families of her students. It is not uncommon for her to take a student to the zoo or a movie, providing enrichment and socialization for the student as well as a respite for their families. Students often come to school needing more than an education. With just the right mixture of work, play, guidance and praise, she lovingly feeds and nurtures each child intellectually and socially. I have watched Penny’s students blossom with her support and guidance. Ms. Coonce is indeed a selfless individual.” Another wrote: “Through the years Penny has acquired the trust of parents because of her unselfishness. She has entertained student on weekends also, simply because she knows many of them will not have the opportunity to be outside their homes.” Ms. Coonce is from Falls City, NE.

Karen Drickey
Bryan High School
Art
Karen Drickey has been at Bryan High School for 28 of her 32 years with OPS. A student said: “I can honestly say she is the reason why my art skills have advanced as far as they have. She never gives up on any of her students and she’s always coming to school early and staying late just to give students a chance to work. She makes her students want to do better and when they think they’ve gone as far as they can she gives them the confidence to go even farther.” A former student wrote: “Karen is incredible. She deeply cares about her students and is able to develop special relationships with them. She is funny. She loves what she teaches and she loves the students she teaches. She brings fresh ideas to her classroom. She is easy to talk to, she listens, she hears, she respects her students and her students respect her.” Ms. Drickey is from Bismarck, North Dakota and has a B.A.E. from the University of Kansas.

Ronda Harvey-Shaheen
Florence Elementary
Guidance
Ronda Harvey-Shaheen has been with OPS for 13 years, the last five at Florence. A native of Lawrence, Kansas, she has a B.S. from Missouri Western and an M.S. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. An admirer wrote: “Every morning Ronda arrives at school to a door full of notes from children who need to talk to her for whatever reason. She doesn’t even make it to her door before a parent stops her. Then in between classes she is with children, helping them cope with all their daily needs. You often see her taking children to buy clothing, stopping at their homes to make sure basic needs are being met, and she is always sending home bags of goodies for the kids who need it. The kids truly count on her and she never seems to let them down.” Another said: “Since joining Florence Ronda has had an incredible impact on the school and the community. As a counselor she has the opportunity to interact with every student every week. She puts in extraordinary hours to provide the best for her students.”

Lindsey Holley
North High School
Special Education
Lindsey Holley has been with OPS for 17 years, the last 15 at North. She has a B.S. and an M.S. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. A parent said: “Mrs. Holley is one of those rare individuals for whom teaching handicapped children is far more than a job – it is a service of the heart. She teaches the students the academic and daily living skills they need to know, always keeping in mind each student’s individual strengths and weaknesses. She treats each student with the respect students of this mental handicap crave and need in order to continue to develop and mature.” Another said: “It is hard to tell you all of the things this woman does for her students. She is an instructor, an advocate, a nurse, a mother, a cheerleader, you name it she is it for her kids. As an instructor she has the patience of Job. She has such compassion and hopefulness for her students. You can just see it when her students see her.” Ms. Holley is from Elkhorn.

Kimberly Juranek
Spring Lake Elementary
Math
Kimberly Juranek has spent the last nine years of her 20 years with OPS at Spring Lake. A native of Fremont she has a B.A. from Midland College and an M.Ed. from University of Nebraska, Lincoln. A colleague wrote: “Kim has amazed me with her ability to mesmerize both students and staff with the world of mathematics. Her enthusiasm for learning is always evident in her personable interactions, upbeat and fast paced tone and her excitement of teaching and watching students learn new concepts. It is not very often that you will hear children cheer for math, though this is the daily enthusiasm you will hear at Spring Lake.” Another said: “She is so excited about her job that it carries over to her students. She holds them rapt as she introduces new concepts to them. She keeps an eye on each student and makes sure that they are following along and keeping up with her. She challenges them every time we go to the math lab to learn.”

Doug Keel
Marrs Middle School
Media Specialist
Doug Keel has been with OPS for 16 years, the last four at Marrs. He has a B.S. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and an M.S. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. A colleague wrote: “I cannot even tell how many projects, papers, committees, and overall staff development he has helped out on. I’m willing to bet that Doug puts in at least sixty hours a week at the building. This does not include hours outside the school. He gets kids motivated to stay after school and read in the technology age. He relates to students as only a few can. Promoting reading as well as learning is his way of life.” Another said: “Doug has made Marrs Magnet Center’s library an ideal place for many students. They come and enjoy reading, playing chess and working on computers. It is the most warm and feel good place in our school. Because of his welcoming disposition, most students are packing the library from early in the morning to late afternoon, long after school is out. Doug made the library a place the kids want to come.”

Sarah Powers
Harrison Elementary
6th Grade
Sarah Powers has been with OPS for 19 years, the last seven at Harrison. She has a B.S. from Creighton University and an M.S. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. A former student wrote: “Mrs. Powers pushed me like I had never been pushed before. When I missed a problem on my math work she would make me go back and do it all over again. She wouldn’t accept anything less than a hundred percent. Mrs. Powers set high expectations for me. Something no one had ever done for me. She didn’t see that kid who didn’t care about school. She saw a very talented student with potential.” A parent wrote: “Mrs. Powers has been able to reach through my daughter’s insecurity and emotional immaturity to foster the strong, confident, and organized student her father and I always knew was there. We feel very sure that our daughter is ready for middle school and has been given the tools to tackle the challenges that she will face in the coming years. She finally feels that she is capable of earning high grades and is able to keep up with her peers.” Ms. Powers is from Beloit, Wisconsin.

Michaela Reilly
Career Center
English as a Second Language
Michaela Reilly has spent the last eight years of her 28 year career with OPS at the Career Center. A native of Omaha she has a B.A. from Dublin University College and an M.S. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. A colleague said: “Ms. Reilly is providing support to students that goes far beyond typical classroom responsibilities. She meets weekly with them to make sure their medical and emotional needs are met. Ms. Reilly is an outstanding educator who is helping our most vulnerable students get the academic skills that they need at the same time she is providing them with an orientation to the United States. She is an advocate for her students.” Another wrote: “What makes Mickey stand out is her love and devotion for non-English speaking young people. She strives to teach the basics of our language like few can. Her constant praise and repetition allows for even the weakest student to be successful. Mickey goes beyond the minimum.”

William Scarborough
Burke High School
Physical Education
William Scarborough has been with OPS for 31 years, the last 26 at Burke. A native of Spencer, Iowa, Mr. Scarborough has a B.A. from Wayne State University. A student wrote: “Coach Scarborough has taught me so many important life skills. He taught me competitiveness, hard work, teamwork, and how important it is to never give up. He has been such a huge motivation throughout my high school experience. As a coach he was always there for me, like a father. He cared about me, not only as a runner but a student as well.” A parent said: “Coach Scarborough is an educator and coach who really makes a difference in the lives of his students. His dedication and commitment are a credit to the teaching profession. His student athletes learn valuable lessons about setting goals both on and off the sports field, and about the need to work hard to achieve these goals. He leads by example, demonstrating the importance of character and discipline on a daily basis.”

Mary Steinbruck
Sunny Slope Elementary
3rd Grade
Mary Steinbruck has been with OPS for over 38 years, the past 20 at Sunny Slope. She has a B.A. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. A colleague said: “Mary’s work ethic is unparalleled. She can always be found in her classroom at 7:30 in the morning and seldom leaves before 5:30 each evening. She constantly seeks new methods to enable the learning in her classroom. She is adaptable to the individual learner and seeks methods to reach them in whatever is their best learning style. Mary is especially notable for her efforts to find ways to help that student who struggles.” Another said: “Children that struggled in second grade always excel as third graders in her room. She bends over backwards to ensure their success and truly cares about their happiness and well being. And they can feel it. It is a safe, caring and fair classroom.” Ms. Steinbruck is from Cedar Rapids, Nebraska.

Melissa Stern
Lewis & Clark Middle School
Language Arts
Melissa Stern, an Omaha native, has been with OPS for 16 years, the last seven at Lewis & Clark. She has a B.S. from the University of Kansas and an M.S. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. A colleague said: “She is able to instill more than great writing techniques and organizational skills. Melissa truly teaches kids. Students learn quickly about the high expectations she sets for them. Her teaching style and the variety of methods she uses to reach students keep her classroom fresh and exciting.” An admirer wrote: “Ms. Stern’s students watch, listen and learn from her with interest and respect. Although her students know they will have to work hard, they also know that what they are learning from Ms. Stern will be of importance to them as they move on in the future. She is well known and loved at Lewis and Clark, even by those who do not have her as a teacher or coach. I believe that shows true leadership and dedication that only a special teacher can emit.”

Judy Storm
Central High School
Special Education
Judy Storm has spent the past 23 of her 28 year career with OPS at Central High. An Omaha native she has a B.A. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. A colleague wrote: “Mrs. Storm directs a department that serves students with learning, behavioral, and mental/emotional disorders. Her responsibilities are so diverse, ranging from class scheduling, IEP organization, room/teaching assignments, credit monitoring/recovery, parental notification, and finally teaching senior English classes. With all of these duties, Mrs. Storm is the busiest person at Omaha Central by far. But yet, her department serves one of the largest Special Education populations in the school district with pride and distinction.” Another said: “I have never seen her in a down mood and I doubt that her students have either. She smiles, she cajoles, she demands, she scolds, she praises, and she sets high but obtainable goals for ‘her kids’… all in just the right recipe of effective teaching and learning. She does all of this every day with students who would drive other teachers out of the profession in three months, and she does it all in an aura of love and joy and personal reward.”

Peter Wilger
Central High School
Instrumental Music
Peter Wilger has spent his entire 17 year career with OPS at Central High. An Omaha native he has a B.M. and an M.M. from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. A parent said: “Mr. Wilger spends hours outside the normal school day planning programs and working with students not only to improve their musical talent but also to develop their social and leadership skills. Mr. Wilger is successful in working with one of, if not the most diverse student bodies in the state. He treats all students equally and has the ability to recognize when a student needs special attention and is willing to spend time with that student.” A colleague said: “Pete is raising the bar for marching band. I truly feel it has now become the best band in the Omaha Public Schools. This is due to Pete’s knowledge, organizational skills, and ability to motivate his students. In short, Pete is a dedicated, hard-working teacher who is willing to put in many extra hours to lead the biggest band in OPS. His professional demeanor and steadfast efforts make him an extremely valuable member of the Central staff.”

Jeff York
Rose Hill Elementary
5th Grade
Jeff York has been with OPS for seven years, all of them at Rose Hill. He has a B.A. from Buena Vista University and an M.S. from Concordia University. A colleague said: “Jeff is an outstanding teacher and advocate for young people. He is one of those teachers whose entire day is spent with children. He enjoys eating lunches with students, spending recess time with them, sharing reading and writing time with individuals and his class as a whole. The positive things that Mr. York does with students are so numerous it would be difficult to list them. Every child feels valuable, needed and special when they are in Mr. York’s room. He encourages those who struggle to do their best and he provides many resources for them to learn and complete their work.” A parent wrote: “The way Mr. York engages and encourages each child makes them all feel very special. There are a few ‘toughies’ that are very hard to get to let down their guard, but he is able to make them feel safe and comfortable enough to risk embarrassment and contribute during class discussions.” Mr. York is from Decatur, Nebraska.