Excellent Educators is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the coronavirus pandemic. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions. Congratulations to these educators for all of their hard work and accomplishments!

Name: Dulcey Shell, Rachel Haver, Sherita White, and Lorenzo Starks

Division: Norfolk Public Schools

Positions: Educators at the Norfolk Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs Center

What the school division said about these Excellent Educators: The Norfolk Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs (SECEP) Center hosts three SECEP programs: Re-ED, which is a program for students with emotional disabilities, TRAEP, which is a program designed for students who cannot find success in the traditional classroom, and EBICS, which is a program for students with intellectual disabilities and extremely disruptive behaviors. 

The Re-ED and TRAEP staff work best when working in-person with the students. In-person interactions between the students and staff help foster trust and a positive relationship between the students and adults.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the teachers had to learn Zoom, Google Classroom, and Schoology. The teachers had to teach these programs to their students and create “how to” videos for students and parents.

The Re-ED and TRAEP teachers had virtual field trips and virtual labs to keep the students focus and engaged. SECEP staff bought special meals for prizes, bought game cards, and delivered to homes other rewards students would earn. After teaching during the school day, staff would call and visit with parents. Students who could not use the technology provided to them had materials made and delivered to them by their teachers or the U.S. Postal Service.

Our teachers created a bookmobile program and dropped books off at students’ homes to promote literacy. Faculty and staff delivered over 25 Thanksgiving baskets to students’ families. The faculty and staff held virtual ceremonies to celebrate individual student achievements such as honor roll and reintegration. 

The EBICS staff delivered instructional materials to students’ homes weekly and monitored work completion with daily telephone calls. These students’ disabilities required that the teachers teach the parents how to assist their child.