Suzy Dudich Challenges Students at Blattman Elementary to Use their Brains Fully Every Day

Classes are never dull in Suzy Dudich's classroom. Each year Ms. Dudich teaches a new unit of study to her first through fifth grade students. One year students studied engineering and designed structures, models and bridges from scrap materials. The students also researched famous buildings located all over the world and made a PowerPoint presentation for parents, administrators, teachers and students.

Another year students produced a thirty-minute mystery theme movie. Ms. Dudich contacted Embassy Theater and the students and their parents got to view the creative final product on the big screen. It's no wonder parents write, "You have helped nurture my son in a way that will touch his life forever. The conversations he has are astounding - surely fueled by your guidance."

Ms. Dudich impacts the entire 600-student community through her mentoring and cooperative teaching efforts with fellow faculty members. She helps teachers and students identify individual goals and discuss problems to help them be resolved successfully. Her teaching expectations for herself and learning expectations for her students are high, yet positive and respectful. One student may have spoken for the whole school when he said, "Being with you is like being on a never-ending vacation."