{"id":6652,"date":"2017-05-17T16:07:41","date_gmt":"2017-05-17T20:07:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=6652"},"modified":"2017-05-22T08:36:09","modified_gmt":"2017-05-22T12:36:09","slug":"super-teacher-surprised-schoolwide-assembly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/super-teacher-surprised-schoolwide-assembly\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Super Teacher\u2019 surprised at schoolwide assembly"},"content":{"rendered":"

It had all the makings of a great pep rally. Cheerleaders. Large\u00a0crowd. High fives. Banners and music.<\/p>\n

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What Kempsville Elementary School (KES) Principal Lori Hasher told<\/em> all students and staff was that the schoolwide assembly May 16 was to get energized for the upcoming Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. It was the perfect cover.<\/p>\n

At least one student sensed something else was up. \u201cWhat is happening<\/em> here?\u201d he asked out loud as his third grade class walked in to take their seats on the floor.<\/p>\n

Another person who also didn\u2019t know what was happening was second-grade teacher Amy Watson.<\/p>\n

Watson sat in a chair next to her students and colleagues as Paula Otto, Virginia Lottery executive director, told the audience she was at the school to present a special award.<\/p>\n

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Watson\u2019s husband, daughter, parents and sister entered through a side door to stand behind Watson to witness what happened next. Watson\u2019s son, a student at Kempsville Elementary, was sitting in the crowd with classmates.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is my great pleasure to announce,\u201d Otto said, \u201ca 2017 Virginia Lottery Super Teacher<\/em>, second-grade teacher Amy Watson!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Watson received a $2,000 cash prize and an additional $2,000 credit for classroom supplies from The Supply Room Companies, which sponsors the award with the Virginia Lottery and the Virginia PTA.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI thought it was a pep rally,\u201d said Watson in an interview after the assembly. \u201cI thought we were cheering on the third-, fourth- and fifth-graders, and I had no idea all of this was happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kempsville Elementary parent Miranda Beeson nominated Watson for the award and read her letter during the award presentation. Beeson\u2019s son is currently in Watson\u2019s class.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Watson is exactly what I hoped my child\u2019s teacher would be. She is enthusiastic, caring and encouraging,\u201d Beeson read. She also praised Watson\u2019s integration of technology in classroom instruction as well as in parent communication.<\/p>\n

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There were tears and then more cheers for their \u201csuper\u201d teacher!<\/p>\n

Hasher capitalized on all cheering for Watson to have an\u00a0SOL pep rally after all. She led cheers by grade level to encourage success on the tests before asking them to all cheer together: \u201cK-E-S Rocks!\u201d<\/p>\n

View more from the celebratory assembly in the video below.<\/p>\n