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Teacher of the Year

Teacher Wins Prestigious Award

Despite the icy conditions and the cold weather, Rhyne Elementary School was all smiles and warmth this morning as teacher Thomas Plecnik received the Southwest Teacher of the Year Award. This is yet another award for Mr. Plecnik who continues to keep the spotlight focused on the great things going on inside the halls of Rhyne Elementary.

You can read a full extended article on Mr. Plecnik below but we wanted to congratulate him
on this award and hopefully he will now go onto to win the North Carolina Teacher of the Year for the state.

Many local and state educators were on hand to participate in this award for Mr. Plecnik and congratulate him on this great honor. In attendance were representatives from the Gaston County School Board, the North Carolina Department of Education, Gaston County School Administration, and a County Commissioner.

Mr. Plecnik was his usual humble self thanking everyone and giving credit to others for his success, but we hope he realizes what an impact he is making on his students and for everyone involved with education at Rhyne Elementary and the Gaston County School system.

Everyday in the news we hear about cut backs in education budgets, teacher layoffs, and the poor plight of our schools. Yet some how, despite all the adversity, one young teacher continues to excel and show that there is more to being an educator than just money.

If you have children in the Gaston County Schools, make sure you stop and take a minute to thank all of the people that play a role in educating your child. People like just like teacher Thomas Plecnik. People making a difference in our community and in the lives of our children.

Congratulations Thomas Plecnik.
NC Southwest Region Teacher of the Year.

Rhyne Elementary Teacher Chosen as Teacher of the Year

Thomas Plecnik - Rhyne Elementary

Looking for the teacher's desk? You won't find one in Mr. Plecnik's 5th grade classroom because there isn't one! Everything is neatly tucked away so that every inch of floor space is available for students to use while making posters depicting a stem and leaf graph. Students say Mr. Plecnik often spends as much time on the floor as they do - perhaps this is a carry-over from 4 previous years as a kindergarten teacher. His students say he is awesome, kind and caring, and that he "teaches us everything we need to know." Several students related that their favorite lesson was "making science with fish - and some were pregnant!" (Mr. Plecnik, I’m not quite sure how that fits in with teaching everything they need to know!) Other students report Mr. Plecnik's kindness in printing out things for them when they've been writing a lot. Colleagues at Rhyne say Mr. Plecnik demonstrates teacher leadership by serving on the SIT team and as a PLC facilitator, sharing his expertise in technology, always having an open door, and being a leader in tutoring - often there until 7p.m. One student best described Mr. Plecnik's teaching: "He teaches and we get it as soon as he teaches it…we get it just like that (finger snap)." It is plain to see why Mr. Plecnik has been chosen as one of the top 5 finalists for Gaston County's Teacher of the Year.

To read the article click HERE

What they are saying about Thomas Plecnik

From Colleagues:

· He is very techno-advanced.

· Mr. Plecnik is a good collaborator and has good relationships with everyone.

· He goes to pick up a child at home so the child will not have to transfer to another school.

· Mr. Plecnik is an overachiever. He goes on home visits and attends every school event. He is very active.

· He is data driven, intelligent, and has a good sense of humor.

· Mr. Plecnik leads testing and assists with computers and smart boards.

· He is a leader by being a member of the School Improvement Team, being a PLC facilitator, and he is knowledgeable about teaching and data.

· Mr. Plecnik is truly here for the students. He made a great transition from kindergarten to 5^th grade.

· He is compassionate and teaches students how to be their best. He is very professional.

· Brought one little girl out of her shell. He takes the time to get to the heart of children’s problems.

· Mr. Plecnik is always present. He is a team player, is positive, and caring. He is a leader and mentor to others.

From Students:

· “Mr. Plecnik lets us do hands-on work and use the smart board. He does the first and once we got the hang of it, he lets us do it.”

· Favorite lesson? Science Ecosystems-“We got to actually make the land.”

· “He lets us get prizes and rewards us. He makes up his own stuff so we can have fun while we’re learning.”

· Three words to describe Mr. Plecnik: awesome, kind, caring.

· What makes Mr. Plecnik a great teacher? “He teaches us everything we need to know. If we don’t understand, he finds things to help us get it.”

· Favorite lesson? Geometry because we learn hands-on with Popsicle sticks.

· Three words to describe Mr. Plecnik: kind, funny, respectful

· “He is nicer than the other teachers. When I go to other teacher’s class, she only picks the same people all the time.”

· “He teaches us and we get it as soon as he teaches it. We get it just like that.”

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Teacher of the Year