Lowndes Middle School sixth grade teachers Melanie Mares, Sue Van Nortwick and Elissa Tomlinson are being recognized for their creativity and success in the classroom as Disney Teacher Award Nominees.

This teaching team joins an elite group of teachers from across the country who have been recognized by their communities. As the next step in the awards process, Mares, Van Nortwick, and Tomlinson are now submitting an application to be considered for the 2006 Disney Teacher of the Year Award in the category of Interdisciplinary Team.

In addition to letters of recommendation, Mares’ team will submit an application that includes several professional reflection essays describing their classrooms and approach to teaching, the impact of high stakes testing, how they approach collaboration in their school and career and an event that shaped each of them as teachers.

A committee comprised of education will then review the nominee applications and select the 2006 Disney Teacher Award Honorees.

The honorees will be announced in late spring and celebrated at a red-carpet Awards Gala in July.

During the Gala, four honorees will be selected as Outstanding Teachers and one will be named the 2006 Disney Teacher of the Year.

In addition, the Honorees each receive $10,000, a $5,000 grant for their schools and a six-day professional development institute with their principals as the Walt Disney World Resort.