Dean of the University of Montana's College of Education Daniel Lee (left), Potomac School Principal Sarah Schmill, Potomac teacher Abby Stitt and College of Education Director of Clinical Experiences Anna Kiley (right) stand in the Potomac Community Center to honor Stitt.
Potomac School students got an adrenaline boost as the University of Montana's mascot, Monte, entered the community center, doing handstands, cartwheels and picking up students in the crowd, until ultimately sitting amongst them to listen to the presentation.
It certainly wasn't a bus evacuation assembly, which was the reason Potomac School Principal Sarah Schmill gave to her staff and students for gathering in the community center on May 6.
The Potomac Community Center was filled with Potomac students, teachers, representatives from the University of Montana's College of Education, the infamous UM mascot, Monte, and family and friends of Abby Stitt, who was being presented with the Maryfrancis Shreeve Award for teaching excellence, of which she had absolutely no idea until her name was announced by Daniel Lee, Dean of the College of Education, in front of the gathered audience.
Often punctuated by Monte, Lee explained the history of the award.
Shreeve's children wanted to create an award to honor their mother, who taught elementary school in western Montana for almost 40 years. They decided to put money aside - $3,000 going to the teacher and $1,000 to the school in this case to be used at their discretion - for a teacher who is creative, who devotes extra time to help their students achieve and who reaches for professional growth and development. The College of Education reached out to each school in the state, asking administrators if they had someone that matched those criteria.
Cheers erupted as Lee called Stitt's name and Monte sprung to his feet to hug the moved educator.
"Your teaching approach emphasizes each student's potential and you set a remarkable example for educators everywhere," Lee said.
Stitt has been teaching at Potomac School for 15 years, the entirety of her educational career. She grew up in Bonner and got her master's degree in education from the University of Montana. Currently, she teaches fourth and fifth grade at Potomac School, but over the years has taught anywhere from third to fifth grade.
"It's a huge honor, to just be recognized by my colleagues and within the profession," Stitt said. "I'm very grateful to work at Potomac School. We have such a tight relationship around here and it's a wonderful place to work."
Stitt's whole family came to the celebration along with her friend, Terri Klein. Klein taught at Potomac School for 30 years, retiring a couple of years ago, and remembered how much Stitt added to the school from the beginning.
"When Abby came on staff she was like a spark of fire for everybody," Klein said, always encouraging others, doing anything she was asked and more and thinking of everyone but herself first.
The best thing about teaching, Stitt said, is, "Knowing that I'm having an impact on students, no matter how small or how big. In some way we as teachers have an impact on their lives. That feels really good."
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