Zoe Gierman, a second-grade teacher at Wood Gormley Elementary, was named Outstanding Teacher of the Quarter on Monday, February 12.
"We are so proud of this quarter's outstanding teacher and educational support professional. Their dedication to students and families is both exceptional and deeply appreciated. They excel in meeting the needs of their school communities and serve as role models for us all. We are honored to work alongside them and congratulate them on their awards," said Superintendent Hilario "Larry" Chavez.
Gierman is a level three teacher with a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) endorsement who has been with the Santa Fe Public Schools for nine years and with Wood Gormley Elementary School for six years. Gierman is a member of the Wood Gormley Site Leadership Team.
“I’m proud to be a teacher and I love being a teacher,” Gierman said during her acceptance speech. “My students can probably tell you what my favorite part of my job is – the kids. Thank you guys for making my job so much fun every single day.”
In their nominations, Gierman was described as a cross between a nurturing mom, Mary Poppins, and the adventurous Miss Frizzle from The Magic School Bus. Nominators noted she fosters strong engagement with her students and families through events such as a Multicultural Storytelling Night, school tutoring sessions, the establishment of a book club, organization of Diversity Night and a last-minute field trip to the New Mexico Capital for Early Childhood Day.
“I think this [award] is really validating,” Gierman said. “I get so much feedback from my students and their families often that I feel rewarded just in that, but this is an added bonus – a cherry on top – to what I already love.”
Gierman praised Wood Gormley Elementary Principal Karen Lindeen for being a great leader and attributed the school’s community for making it such a wonderful place to work.
“We have a wonderful community of students, a lot of diversity, a lot of different backgrounds that I think people capitalize on,” Gierman said. “They see it as an asset here and there’s a lot of celebration, a lot of rigor and hard work but there’s a lot of celebration and joy that comes from that too.”
Martha Navaiz, secretary at Atalaya Elementary School, was named Outstanding Educational Support Professional of the Quarter also on Monday.
Navaiz, who has been involved with Atalaya Elementary for over 29 years in some capacity, has been secretary for 16 years. For five years, Navaiz volunteered with Atalaya as her children attended the school, she then worked for eight years as an Educational Assistant in Special Education and then moved to the role of secretary.
“I always tell the kids, I’ve been here longer than the furniture,” Navaiz joked.
In their nominations, parents and colleagues described Navaiz as an empathetic and dedicated individual who has left a permanent mark on the Atalaya community. Navaiz is credited with going above and beyond in her administrative duties, including organizing school initiatives such as food and toy drives to ensure families facing hardships receive support during the holidays.
“Atalaya is my life, it really is,” Navaiz said. “I have had many generations of my family come to school here. Every time people come in for a tour, I always tell them we’re very lucky at Atalaya because the most amazing people migrate here. Whether it’s the staff, the kids or the parents, we have an amazing community here.”
