At Oak Harbor Elementary, a group of educators are helping students who are struggling the most.

The guidance and resource teams work together to help those students succeed at their current level, and to go up and succeed in education levels with their class, said Susan Briddell, the school’s Title I teacher who works in the first level of intervention to identify and help students needing special education.

“We’re working with the highest needs kids, kids who are struggling learners and helping to hopefully catch up to their grade level,” Briddell said.

Jenny Rodgers, another teacher who was honored, said that their job is to “monitor our lowest-achieving students to make sure that they are meeting their personal successes in all areas.”

“A lot of times,” Rodgers said, “that can mean just that they’re having a good day and that they’re feeling confident about what they’re doing. That’s what we want for every kid.”

At the Nov. 10 board meeting, Dorothy Day, principal of Oak Harbor Elementary, recognized those teachers for their work and dedication, and gave them each a certificate of recognition.

Nine teachers were recognized at the meeting: Norma Sarbach, Rodgers, Nicole Cheshier, Briddell, Julie Stratton, Amy Murdock, Kim Fronckowiak, Sid MacIndoe and Charlene Milliron.

“I chose to recognize them … because their work often goes unnoticed,” Day said, “and they are working with our most struggling learners in the entire school.”

Sarbach “goes above and beyond everyday to make sure that our kids are learning,” Day said.

Day said that Rodgers has the maturity level needed for the job, even as a first-year teacher.

“She has jumped right in,” said Day. “We’ve had some very high-impacted kids, and she’s just gotten right in, helped those kids develop plans and has really started to learn what it takes to be part of our team.”

Fronckowiak is one of the school’s special education resource paraeducators and works with kids of all grade levels at the elementary school.

“She’s teaching fifth grade math down to first grade reading … working with kids individually,” Day said. “The things that she does allows the teachers to be able to work closer to the other kids.”

Cheshier is the school psychologist, shared with Oak Harbor High School, and was recognized for her “fabulous” consistency and leadership with the guidance team.

Briddell is new to the guidance team, but has been a teacher in the district for 22 years. Day said Oak Harbor Elementary is “really lucky to have her” as part of the team.

Stratton, Day said, is “phenomenal.”

“She works individually with students, helping the kids who are in crisis, helping families who are in crisis,” said Day.

Murdock is the speech and language pathologist on the team, working with students to teach them how to make sounds and understand and develop language skills.

Finally, Day recognized Millirun, who “has spent a lot of time just working with our highly-impacted kindergarten, first and second grade kids who have struggled making that transition to school.”

“I recognize these fabulous ladies with all of their contributions to Oak Harbor Elementary,” said Day.

Briddell said being recognized at the board meeting was an honor that “gives value to all the hard work that we do and all the extra time and meetings.”

“It was nice to be recognized, and the guidance team does work really hard,” Briddel said, “As a teacher, no one likes to see students struggling. We want all of our kids to be successful.

“I love school; I want kids to love school. Helping them feel successful and giving them an opportunity to succeed, I think, is really critical.”

“I want them to feel like they are just as capable of accomplishing their dreams as any other child out there,” said Rodgers.

“I want all my kids to feel like they can do whatever they set their mind to.”