2004 MILKEN EDUCATOR
AWARD RECIPIENTS
Lisa Bowman
Burnt Chimney Elementary School Wirtz, VA
Fourth-grade science teacher Lisa Bowman exudes enthusiasm in everything she does at Burnt Chimney Elementary School in Wirtz. She established a third-grade science program that offers students a balance of lab experience, demonstration, content reading, and the use of manipulatives. She also began an after-school tutoring program that is growing rapidly. Clearly Ms. Bowman's innovative practices are yielding results, as her students' SOL scores have raised consistently under her leadership. When she's not teaching fourth grade, Ms. Bowman is conducting staff development at Burnt Chimney Elementary and teaching at the community college level. Ms. Bowman also mentors new teachers, is a member of Phi Delta Kappa, and has presented at technology conferences and ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development).
Deborah L. Tyler
Pine Spring Elementary School Falls Church, VA
Principal Deborah L. Tyler transformed Pine Spring Elementary School in Falls Church from a low-performing school into a high-achieving campus that serves as a model throughout the district. Ms. Tyler developed innovative instructional reading and writing programs for Pine Spring and trained both students and staff on their use. She established an Identified Student Program (ISP) which targets at-risk students, resulting in improved test scores. Ms. Tyler sends a monthly parent newsletter in Spanish and English offering both news and opportunities for parent involvement. Under her leadership, Pine Spring Elementary students, who come from 25 countries and speak 14 languages, have become consistently high-achieving pupils. Ms. Tyler was recently selected to represent Title I schools on the NCLB School Choice Planning Committee.