Gail McGoogan
Narcoossee Community School
St. Cloud, FL

"There is no other profession as exciting as that of a classroom teacher. Each day we enter a world of surprises, challenges, and rewards. Each child's life that we touch may be that of a future President of the United States or a future scientist who will find a cure for AIDS, or, better yet, a future teacher. In addition, our children's education is not limited to classroom experiences but is a lifelong process involving parents, teachers, and community along the way. It takes this trusting partnership to produce healthy, well-educated citizens of tomorrow."

"Her tireless energy & invigorating spirit make her a consummate teacher and inspiration to us all. Gail's magic has also touched my life. I was her classroom assistant and was inspired by what I was seeing. Today, because of her, I am a teacher."

Gail's fourth-grade class creatively studied how the movement of the earth affects time through worldwide video conferencing. After months of contacting schools around the world, researching their cultures and environments, and testing equipment, the class was able to successfully videoconference with Nepal, Uzbekistan, Japan, Australia, and more. When her school was built on the shore of a lake, her class became responsible for its protection. Consequently, her students formed NEWTS (Narcoossee Elementary Water Testing Site). Now, as part of the University of Florida Lakewatch program, they collect samples of lake water, perform tests, and send their data to the university to be used for monitoring purposes.

Other Highlights:

• National Board Certified Teacher
• Osceola County District Teacher of the Year 1997
• Developed and leads vertical teaching team (Educational Leadership, 2/02)
• Participant in four-year longitudinal teaching practices research study done by Independent Research Institute of America (2000-2004)
• Participated in writing county science, math, and writing benchmarks and continuum
• Presenter at Georgia, Florida, and National School Board Technology Conferences
• Presenter at Florida State NBCT Conference
• Local McDonald's McApple Award (Innovative teaching)
• Disney Teacherrific Award, 1995 & 1998, Special Judges Award, 2001
• Disney Community Service Award, 1997
• Keep Florida Beautiful Student Community Service Award
• Anheuser-Busch Pledge and a Promise Award, 3rd nationally
• Northern Life "Unsung Heroes" Award
• Published article in Educational Leadership, ASCD, 2/02 and 10/02