Professional Partner of the Month: July 2008
Beth Patterson
"In today’s complicated world, people are often hesitant to reach out and help others. Beth Patterson is quite the opposite – she goes out of her way and beyond the school day to develop relationships with kids and help them in various ways."
- Amy Braverman, Guidance Counselor, Hempfield School District
"Beth is a phenomenal collaborator with our agency in getting services to children. She’s really dedicated, and works hard to make sure the children she refers get to camp – including driving them there, and picking them up."
- Karen Zawitkowski, Director of Programs, The Second Mile
Beth Patterson has worked for the Hempfield School District (Lancaster County) for sixteen years, currently teaching at East Petersburg Elementary School, one of seven elementary buildings in the district. If you visit her room, you’ll see the huge bulletin board behind her desk with scores of pictures, notes, letters, and other memorabilia of those she’s worked with, which serves as a constant reminder and motivator for her to continue in her work. Colleagues and clients agree that Beth consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to serve as a positive role model and provide great services to children and families in her district. For her hard work and incredible results, The Second Mile salutes Beth Patterson as its July Professional Partner of the Month.
Beginning her career at East Petersburg teaching third and fifth grade, Beth decided after several years in the classroom to make a change, and she switched to her current position as the building’s Instructional Support Teacher (IST), which she has done for the past twelve years. With 600 students in grades K-6 and 75 faculty/staff members, East Petersburg is a close-knit community and very supportive of the school and its students. Its population is very diverse, servicing children and their families from many different countries. So what exactly does she do? In Beth’s own words:
| | "I work with a dedicated team of teachers who meet the needs of students who are at risk academically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally. In 2007-08 our team had 145 teacher/parent meetings to help the students and their families work on goals and experience success in their school and family life." |
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Clearly this outreach, coordination of services, and intense meeting schedule is paying off huge dividends to the students and the community at large.
And while Mrs. Patterson deflects attention from herself and praises the “dedicated team” at Hempfield, others look to her in the exact same way, as a dedicated and valuable team member. Amy Braverman, a guidance counselor in the Hempfield School District, shares that since some staff members work in multiple buildings, Beth may step in and help in their absence, such as the principal, or even Amy herself. Beth likes to stay busy, and seems to enjoy working in the trenches – actively helping families solve their problems. If a teacher needs help with something, Beth is someone who is accessible and willing to jump in.
What motivates her in this work? According to Beth, even though it may sound cliché, the best motivation is seeing her students, asking how they are doing every day, listening to them on both good and bad days. . . . Just being there with them. If a student is absent, she calls home to see if they are doing alright and if there is anything they need. Just seeing their faces is enough motivation for Beth!
And where does she derive the most satisfaction in her job? She says from two different areas: classroom teaching, and helping families in need who are outside the classroom setting:
| | "I love to teach, and like all teachers, I get ‘fired up’ when my students grasp a new concept, ask a meaningful question, or do well on a test or project. I love it when they stop in my office to show me their grades, completed homework or finished projects. The other area I gain satisfaction in is working with families outside of the school setting. My school helps to provide glasses, meals or clothing for students who are in need. We do these things quietly but there is such a sense of satisfaction and well-being knowing that a child has the glasses he/she needs or the warm coat they lack for the winter season. I love knowing that my kids are being taken care of and will get through another day." |
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It’s obvious that Beth Patterson has a huge heart, and that she really wants her kids to succeed in school. In her eyes, she sees that all children need multiple, caring adults in their lives, and for many of them, Beth serves as one of those adults.
Like so many other educators today, Mrs. Patterson has experienced the many changes that our society and many school districts are grappling with, creating a myriad of challenges. She sees the challenges like this:
| | "Children are faced with much more than ever before and are expected to know and understand how to deal with the crises in their lives. Difficult curricula, large classes, not enough materials, broken homes, and loved ones in jail are just a few challenges that teachers and students are facing today. School has become a difficult arena for many kids and as we become more and more test-based and assessment-oriented, we lose many kids who cannot meet the state standards. For many kids, the joy of learning is fast disappearing. As teachers we need help! We need more parental and volunteer support, additional monies for materials and time! We need lots and lots of time to reach and care for the children who are our future." |
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Beth Patterson tries doing her part to fight the institutional edge of school, making it even a little more welcoming for those students who find school to be less than welcoming.
The Second Mile is one agency she utilizes heavily in her work, an agency she learned about by accident:
| | "The guidance counselor at my school was on maternity leave and while she was gone much of her mail crossed my desk. One day, an envelope with The Second Mile address appeared in my mailbox. That was just the beginning of a fantastic journey that started eleven years ago. Since the time I completed my first application, over 100 of my students have been fortunate to attend camp at Green Hills. Second Mile camp is what motivates my kids, keeps them on track and allows me to talk with them about things other than school. I transport my students to and from camp so I am always able to take pictures before they leave. We get a chance to look at the pictures and remember fun times, especially when they have had a bad day at school or home. For my kids, if they never step foot in a summer camp again, they will always have the memories of Second Mile." |
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Already this year Beth has driven many students to camp, and then picked them up with the traditional stop at McDonald’s to share pictures, have lunch, and hear stories about the week of camp she had a large role in making possible.
When not working with students, Beth spends time with her husband David, who she’s been married to for 34 years. David is a pharmacist and has his own business. The couple has two grown sons. Andrew has his PhD, works at the National Institutes of Health and lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife Jennifer and daughter Anna. Their younger son Nathan lives and works in Lancaster. They have two dogs, Zack and Ben, who Beth calls “her buddies!” In addition to teaching, she has two other passions! Singing and riding her horse Gizmo. Beth and David are members of a chorale in Lancaster named Musical Associates, “a wonderful group with a very difficult repertoire.” Beth’s horse Gizmo is a 23-year-old chestnut quarter horse, and she rides English hunt seat, competing in local school shows. “He is a saint and is very patient with me as I continue to learn.”
Beth Patterson takes pleasure in knowing that someone has helped a child, whether that person is her, another teacher, or an agency. Often, though, it is Beth who is reaching out, working hard to create positive relationships with children and their families, and making a difference in her community. For all she does to improve the lives of others, The Second Mile is proud to recognize Beth Patterson as July’s Professional Partner of the Month.
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