Mulberry Elem. teacher making the grade

Mulberry Elementary School fourth grade teacher Tara Soudelier was named the 2012 elementary school teacher of the year Friday by the Louisiana Department of Education and was among more than 300 educators honored during the Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Symposium in Baton Rouge.

“I was very honored and very excited to win this award,” Soudelier said. “I look at it as a representation of all the hard working, dedicated teachers of Louisiana. Not just me.”

A 24-year teaching veteran, Soudelier has taught multiple grades as well as reading recovery. She said the secret to being a successful teacher involves building a positive relationship with all her students, and making sure they feel safe in the learning environment.

“What these things do is that let my students know that I care about them,” Soudelier said. “Once that has been established they will work as hard as they can for me. Then the teaching part comes easily.”

“I cannot think of someone more deserving of the honor,” Terrebonne Parish School District Superintendent Philip Martin said regarding Soudelier. “She is totally phenomenal and children in her class are very fortunate.”

Martin said that the award is not an exaggeration of Soudelier’s academic and interpersonal skills, and the impact she has on her students. “Every child in her class, in their individual minds, they think they are her favorite student,” Martin said. “She has all 25 of her kids thinking that.”

The middle school teacher of the year was announced as being Zachary Mitchell Jr., of Anderson Middle School in Iberia Parish, and Emily Howell of Ruston High School in Lincoln Parish was named the high school teacher of the year.

Top overall honors for the event went to April Giddens, a 6th grade English Language Arts instructor at Natchitoches Middle School as the overall 2112 Louisiana Teacher of the year.

“Our teachers work exceptionally hard during the entire school year,” Acting State Superintendent of Education Ollie Tyler said.

Principals of the year for 2012 were identified as Jacqueline Smith of A.A. Nelson Elementary School in Calcasieu Parish, Anna Bowie of Lee Road Junior High School in St. Tammany Parish and William Percy of Slidell High School in Tammany Parish.

“These distinguished educators and educational leaders are a fine representation of the high quality teachers and principals we are fortunate to have in Louisiana,” Board of Elementary and Secondary Education President Penny Dastugue said. “We should all thank them and recognize them for their hard work to improve the lives and futures of Louisiana’s children.”