Peter Conrick, Jasmine Brazil, and Mark Egger, teachers, Kamiakin Junior High

Kudos to Peter Conrick, Jasmine Brazil, and Mark Egger, Lake Washington School District’s “Staff Stars” for October 2009. Note: Jasmine is currently on leave but is being recognized for her work last year as part of this team.

Peter Conrick, Jasmine Brazil and Mark Egger are the ninth grade Quest Language Arts, Social Studies and Biology teachers at Kamiakin Junior High. These three individuals challenge their talented students by requiring critical thinking, creativity and self direction to go beyond the standard answer in the book.

Jasmine teaches Language Arts and has started a standards-based grading policy that invites students to critically assess their work and continually improve upon it to reach the highest standards. She puts a big emphasis on revision, expecting each student to push themselves to improve their work.

Peter teachers Social Studies and gives open-ended projects and assignments with just enough framework that students are free to explore the limits of their own creativity. “We present things in a way that will motivate students to take a step further than they thought they would,” notes Peter. “It allows them to take risks intellectually in a safe environment.”

Mark teaches Biology and is the scientist of the group. He not only teaches biology but he lives it in front of his student every day. A parent recently commented that when students walk into Mark’s classroom, it is a daily trip into the “lab” of some major science academy. Mark also practices what he preaches: he was co-author on a recent paper identifying a new rare species of plant found on Southeastern Vancouver Island and in the San Juan Islands – Castilleja victoriae.

Students in this program have the benefit of teachers who are incredibly committed, student-centered and who hope to challenge students to the point that wherever they go after Kamiakin, they will experience success.