“Exceptional” profiles

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[ March 5, 2026 ] Full Circle: From Peer Connections students to special education teachers High School News
[ March 3, 2026 ] Donna Kolokithas, Allen Elementary Resource Room Teacher "Exceptional" profiles
[ March 2, 2026 ] Pioneer students’ ceramic work selected for national K–12 exhibition in Detroit High School News
[ March 2, 2026 ] Perseverance and Resistance: A Celebration of Us – Skyline’s Black History Month Show High School News
[ March 2, 2026 ] Skyline Blues advances to ICHSA semi-finals after quarterfinal win Features

Jennifer Garcia, Haisley Elementary PE Teacher

January 29, 2020 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Jennifer Garcia grew up in a proud union family, the daughter of a fireman and nurse. Her childhood years were spent in the city of Wayne where she figure […]

Yael Rothfeld, Exceptional Music Teacher, Thurston Elementary & MMEA’s Music Educator of the Year

January 14, 2020 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Yael Rothfeld, a music teacher at Thurston Elementary, has been named the Michigan Music Education Association’s Music Educator of the Year. She will be presented with the award […]

Cat Hogans, Exceptional Social Worker, Mitchell Elementary

January 7, 2020 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Catherine (“Cat”) Hogans grew up in Flint, an only child. Her father, Ken, worked for Buick City until his death when she was 15. Her mom, Carol, was a […]

Becca Robinson, Bach Elementary third/fourth grade teacher

December 13, 2019 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Becca Robinson teaches a third/fourth combination class at Bach Elementary School. She grew up in Huntington Woods, a small city near the Detroit Zoo. An only child, she […]

Mary Buckwalter, Forsythe Middle School science teacher

November 27, 2019 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Mary Buckwalter grew up in the small town of St. Johns in the center of Michigan. During school, she lettered in vocal music and theater. and was proud to […]

Sarah Lindsay, Eberwhite first grade teacher

November 21, 2019 AAPS News Editor

Sarah Lindsay is right at home teaching at Eberwhite Elementary. In fact, it’s where she attended elementary school as a child and where her own father, Dave LaMoreaux, went to elementary school when he was […]

Tom Jameson, Exceptional Volunteer, Environmental Education

November 13, 2019 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Tom Jameson, who has volunteered more than 2,200 times for the Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Environmental Education Program, was recently honored with a Recognition Award by the Michigan Alliance for […]

Chelsea Birchmeier, Skyline High School ELA teacher

November 5, 2019 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Born on the Eastside of Detroit, Chelsea Birchmeier’s upbringing has shaped her teaching style. Her love for school was constant. Beyond watching soap operas with her grandma, reading has […]

Jane Nixon, Pioneer High School teacher consultant, coach

October 29, 2019 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Tell us a bit about your background. I’m a townie. I was born and raised in Ann Arbor with two sisters, a brother, a dog and kind loving parents […]

Jessica Fleming, Clague Middle School social studies teacher

October 22, 2019 AAPS News Editor

By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Editor Jessica Fleming was born in Silver Springs, Maryland and lived in metro Washington, D.C. until she was 14. New jobs brought her family to the Ann Arbor area […]