Manzanita Elementary School has a pretty big role in the lives of the folks at our firm.  It educated one of our lawyers - Matt Schmidt - along with five firm kids.  Two youngsters are on deck, and they will start kindergarten there in the blink of an eye.

We proudly support Manzanita, and we were thrilled when Kathleen Bowman, a fifth grade teacher, was recognized by the Catalina Foothills School District Foundation as 2017's Teacher of the Year!  What makes it extra sweet is that Mrs. Bowman is my son's teacher.  He loves her, and wrote a nomination letter.  He puts it plainly:

"I think Mrs. Bowman should be the teacher of the year. She has taught the whole class how to be and stay kind, together. As we go on throughout the school year, everyday, I come home ten times happier than I was when I went to school. Everyday, I come home thinking Mrs. Bowman is ten times better of a teacher than that morning. If I am feeling upset, or any other student is feeling upset or hurt, she always helps. She is amazing.

I dropped in to talk to Mrs. Bowman about her award.  She shared with me her proudest teaching accomplishment -- implementing and growing Ben's Bells Kind Campus program at Manzanita.  The school was one of the first pilot sites, and over the years it has become a leader in kindness education.  You can feel the school community's kindness the instant you walk on campus.  And, to hear Mrs. Bowman tell it, kindness makes a real difference in how the students learn and grow.  

You can learn more about Ben's Bells and find out how to get involved here.

You can reserve your spot to celebrate Mrs. Bowman, and all of the wonderful educators in the Catalina Foothills School district, here.  The Teacher of the Year brunch is set for Sunday, March 12, 2017 at the Westward Look Resort.