Staff/School Awards

This page contains a historical record of awards received by staff or the school during the school year AND submitted for posting on the web. The posting date is not necessarily the award date.

May, 2009
Congratulations to Mr. Kim Cooper, art teacher, who has received an Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award. Mr. Cooper has been teaching art at Omaha North for over 30 years.

April, 2009

4/21/09: Congratulations to Dr. Darren Holley, math teacher at Omaha North High Magnet School and adjunct faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
The UNO Chancellor's Office has announced that Dr. Holley is the recipient of the 2009 Excellence in Teaching Award for part-time instructors at UNO. The award was based on many criteria, including a letter of nomination and support from the mathematics chair at UNO, support letters from students and peers, participation in professional development, service to the profession, and a vitae and a statement written by Dr. Holley.

4/3/09: Congratulations to Ms. Therese Laux who was selected as the 2009 Educator of the Year for her outstanding work with students, teachers and staff, and her ability to nurture their innovation and imagination. Therese makes extraordinary efforts to ensure that her students have access to the best technology possible and to encourage the creative process with her students. The selection was made by the AIM Institute. Ms. Laux will be acknowledged at the banquet scheduled for April 14, 2009. To see Ms. Laux previous award this school year, click here.

March, 2009

3/26/09: Mr. Alan Dappen, already this year’s recipient of the Siemens Award for Excellence in Teaching, was named as the Sigma Xi Outstanding Science Teacher Awardee by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Sigma Xi Chapter #007. Sigma Xi, a scientific research honor society for science and engineering, promotes public understanding of science and scientific issues, stimulates and supports graduate student research, recognize outstanding scientific accomplishments and contributions and promotes fellowship among members in all disciplines. Dappen will be honored at a banquet in Lincoln on April 23. To see a previous award received by Mr. Dappen, click here.

For information about the Sigma Xi Honor Society Chapter #007 and past awardees, visit http://www.sigmaxi.org/index.shtml.

3/14: Congratulations to Mike Kotrous, the long time outside custodian at Omaha North, who will be receiving the NSAA Distinguished Service Award during half time of the Boys Class B State Championship Basketball Game. Earlier this year, Mr. Kotrous was honored with the Outstanding Service Award from the NSIAAA

3/2: Congratulations to Therese Laux, Media Technology teacher at Omaha North High Magnet School, recipient of a 2009 Best Buy Teach Award. Laux is one of 460 teachers nationally, and one of two from Nebraska, to receive an award. Laux received a $5,000 award which will be used to enhance North's award-winning Media Technology program.

First offered in 2000 at Omaha North High Magnet School, the Media Technology program allows students to explore a wide variety of computer technology applications in digital media and music. Students develop competencies in seven areas including electronic musical instruments, MIDI sequencing, music notation software, computer-assisted instruction, multimedia and digitized media, Internet and telecommunications, information processing, computer systems, and lab management. Emphasis is placed on students learning skills in media technology to create new products and to support academic standards across the curriculum. Samples of student work are available through links here.

Since 2004, the Best Buy Teach Award program has awarded nearly $17 million to over 6,000 K-12 schools. This year, Best Buy awarded $2 million to schools with awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 based on specific school needs to implement an innovative program using technology. More information about the award is available here.

February, 2009
2/25: The College Board and the Siemens Foundation today named Alan Dappen,

Omaha North High Magnet School's Advanced Placement Physics B teacher, as the 2009 Siemens Awardee for Teaching. Dappen is one of 50 teachers nationally to earn this award and the only from Nebraska. A list of awardees is posted at http://www.siemens-foundation.org/pool/documents/word_listing_of_08-09_saap_winners.pdf and will appear in USA Today on February 23. This is the latest in a list of state and national recognition for Mr. Dappen.

Now in its eleventh year, the Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement exemplifies the strong partnership between the Siemens Foundation and the College Board to widen the pool of math, science, and technology talent that we will need for the continued growth of business and industry in the United States and globally. The awards also recognize high schools and students leading the nation in AP participation and performance in those disciplines. In the past four years, Omaha North High Magnet School has been honored by the Siemens Foundation in each category: as a building program (2006), as the state's top AP student (2007), and now as a top teacher.

January, 2009

1/26: Mike Kotrous the groundskeeper for Omaha North High Magnet School has been awarded the Outstanding Service Award from the NSIAAA (Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association). Mike has been with OPS since 1976. He will be honored at the NSIAAA spring Banquet in Lincoln on March 11, 2009.

September, 2008

9/11: Ms. Shannon Walker, a volleyball coach at North, has received the USAV Robert L. Lindsay award. This award is presented annually to individuals in the region who has made significant contributions to volleyball at the local level.

August, 2008

8/20: North High has received a four-year grant totaling $100,000 to develop a College Access Program from EducationQuest of Omaha. The goal of the grant is to increase the number of students attending post-secondary education Workshops, both for parents and students, as well as one-to-one, small group meetings, speakers etc. as well as other activites will be incorporated into the program.

8/20: Congratulations to Mrs. Erdenberger who is the recipient of the National Council for Geographic Educator's 2008 High School Distinguished Teaching Award.

May, 2008

5/27: Congratulations to Mr. Rodney Brown, social studies teacher, who will be serving a seven-week internship with Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) this summer focuing on education and human services issues.

5/19: Congratulations to Mrs. Lindsey Holley, special education teacher, on receiving the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher award from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. Mrs. Holley is one of 15 outstanding Omaha Public School educators receiving the award.

5/2: LeeAnn Vaughan has spent the week in Washington, DC having been named the 2007 Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Science Teaching! This is one of the most prestigious recognitions for a science educator, including a cash award and a week of professional development, a state dinner, a session with the POTUS (the President of the United States), and numerous other recognitions.
Omaha North now has more Presidential Awardees (3) since the recognition started in 1983 than any other school in the state of Nebraska!
Press Release from the National Science Foundation here.

April, 2008

4/8: Mrs. Andrea Cooney, science teacher, has been accepted as a Master Teacher in the Beyond the Central Dogma Summer Institute at the University of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center. Selected from one of over 340 applications to the Institute, Mrs. Cooney will have the opportunity to develop biotechnology curriculum for national dissemination with 19 of the best teachers in the nation. All of them will work under the guidance of 2007 Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Mario Capecchi. The website that explains the scope of the curriculum project can be found here.

March, 2008

3/6: The Athletic Department has announced that Mrs. Michelle Franks, school treasurer, and Mr. Mark Wortman, Special Education teacher, have been named "Athletic Supervisors of the Year."

January, 2008

1/10: Congratulations to Mr. Dan Bartels, Athletic Director and Assistant Principal, on completing the requirements outlined by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association to be recognized as a Certified Athletic Administrator (He is now one of 5% in the country to hold this honor:)

1/7: North Science Teacher is Finalist for Presidential Award

LeeAnn Vaughan, a science teacher at Omaha North High Magnet School, is one of three state finalists for the 2007 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. The awardee will be announced by the White House by early May 2008. Vaughan, who teaches Biotechnology, was honored last May with the Genzyme-Invitrogen Biotech Educator Award, the nation’s top award for biotechnology education. (*See May 2007 section below)

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the Nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science. The Awards recognize highly qualified K-12 teachers for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Since 1983, more than 3,700 outstanding teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education, inlcuding two teachers who taught at Omaha North when they received the Award.

November, 2007

11/27: Hillary Aerts, Journalism teacher at Omaha North High Magnet School, has been named a 2008 Rising Star Award recipient. This national recognition by the Journalism Education Association (JEA) honors ten teachers from across the nation with one to five years journalism teaching experience.

11/1: Dan Sitzman, Curriculum Specialist, has been elected as the President-Elect of the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science

October, 2007

10/23: Congratulations to Ms. Rachel Beck on being named the Nebraska Student Council Advisor of the Year by the Nebraska Association of Student Councils.

10/23: Congratulations to Mrs. Kathy Lee, Assistant Principal, on being named the Outstanding Principal of the Year by the Nebraska Association of Student Councils.

August, 2007

8/13: Congratulations to Mrs. Kate Wiig, drama teacher, won the Theatre Arts Guild’s "Theatre Educator of the Year" award. Several of Wiig’s students and fellow TAG members nominated her for the honor, which she received at the group's Annual Awards Gala in August.

May, 2007

5/9: Mrs. LeeAnn Vaughan, science teacher, is the recipient of the Genzyme-Invitrogen Biotech Educator Award, the nation’s top award for biotechnology education. The award carries a $10,000 cash award. Press Release Photo1 Photo2 Website

5/8: As announced on February 8th (see item below), Omaha North has been awarded the 2007 Magnet Schools of America School of Excellence Award, the highest award offered to magnet schools. Mrs. Christopherson, Assistant Principal, accepted the award at the Magnet Schools of America conference in Las Vegas on behalf of North High.

5/4: The Metro Track Coaches Association has named Eric Johnson 2006-07 Boys Track Coach of the Year. Congratulations Coach Johnson!

April, 2007

4/27: Congratulations to Mrs. LeeAnn Vaughan who has been chosen as a finalist for the Genzyme-Invitrogen Biotech Educator Award. The award was established by the Biotechnology Institute to recognize leading high school educators who are bringing biotechnology to their classrooms and supporting fellow science teachers to do the same. [Press Release - 152KB]

March, 2007

3/24/7: Ms. Laux has been chosen as an Apple Distinguished Educator for the class of 2007. "Apple Distinguished Educators are members of a select group of K-12 and Higher Education professionals possessing an identified expertise in educational technology leadership. This group of over 600 educators spans the globe with membership in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Latin America, and Asia."

February, 2007

2/28/7: Congratualtions to Mr. Haynes. He will be inducted into the Technical High School Hall of Fame when the Technical High School Restoration Committee holds its 9th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, March 10, 2007 at the Tech High Auditorium, 3215 Cuming, at 7:00 p.m. The ceremony recognizes outstanding former students and teachers from Tech High School. Proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales will be applied to the Tech High Auditorium Restoration Fund.

This year the inductees are: Albert Kercheval (1958; Gene Haynes (1963); Wayne Simmonds (1957); William Wachtler (1979); Chief of Police Thomas Warren (1979); and former teacher, John Crookham.

2/16/7: Omaha North High Magnet School has been tentatively notified that it has been awarded the 2007 Magnet Schools of Excellence award by the Magnet Schools of America. The award will be presented in April at the MSA 2007 conference.

2/8/7: Congratulations to Al Dappen, science teacher, for being designated as 2007 Christa McAuliffe Honorable Mention Teacher by the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, College of Education and Human Sciences.

January, 2007

1/24/7: Congratulations to Joe Manley, Omaha North High Magnet School vocal music director, who has been named the District 2 East representative (Sarpy, Douglas, Washington, Thurston and Dakota counties) for Nebraska Choral Directors Association Board of Directors.

September, 2006

9/13/6 Sharee Egglestion, Spanish teacher, has been selected as the first teacher to receive the Varsity View Educator of the Month Award. You can view a photo of Sharee and read about her teaching philosophy on page 3.