This prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching has put me among top science educators. I am extremely elated to have been chosen by the National Science Foundation for the award. Last year, I was a Teacher of the Year finalist, but now I have the icing on the cake for getting national recognition from the National Science Foundation and President Barack Obama for excellent teaching in science.

Jennifer Norford Charlotte Amalie, VI | K-6, Science, 2008

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Jennifer Norford has been teaching at the Ulla F. Muller Elementary School in Charlotte Amalie, VI, since 2002. She taught the intermediate transitional class and continues to teach the fifth and sixth grade gifted and talented class. Mrs. Norford previously taught third grade at the school and all grades in the St. Kitts, VI, elementary school system. She has nearly 20 years of experience as an elementary school teacher. An excellent teacher, Mrs. Norford strives to maintain rigor and relevance in her teaching. She is always well prepared and executes her lessons with creativity. She involves students in the lessons and encourages cooperative learning and scientific inquiry. She is described as a committed and competent educator who assigns meaningful projects and hands-on activities to reinforce skills and concepts. She is constantly motivating her students to achieve more. Both parents and colleagues praise her professionalism. Mrs. Norford has pursued her interest in administration and acts in this capacity as a substitute when school administrators are absent. She has also served as the liaison for the High, Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE), a U.S. Department of Education-funded program to assist teachers in becoming highly qualified. Mrs. Norford coordinated Ulla F. Muller Elementary's first-ever School Health Index Plan. She also serves on the School Improvement Team and was president of the Parent-Teacher Association. A member of the Gamma Beta Phi honor society, Mrs. Norford is the recipient of the Outstanding Award for Science Theory and Practice from the College of Further Education in St. Kitts, VI. Mrs. Norford has a B.A., magna cum laude, in elementary education and an M.A. in education with a concentration in educational administration. She also completed courses in directed field experience, school law, and school finance at the University of the Virgin Islands. Currently she is a doctoral student at Walden University. She is certified in school leadership and as a Class 1 elementary educator and Class 2 administrator.

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