Names: Susie
Olson Iwrey
and Marla
Gartrell
Years of teaching
as a team: Four
Grade: Temple
Israel nursery
school
Teaching philosophy:
"We've been
amazed and very im-
pressed with the
progress our stu-
dents have made
over the course of
the year. With posi-
tive reinforcement,
support and a lot of
love, these young
children feel confi-
dent enough to face
challenges, build
their social skills and
most important, just
feel good about who
they are."
Susie Olson Iwrey & Marla Gartrell
riends and family questioned the sanity of Susie Olson Iwrey
when she invited 69 young children to walk down the aisle in
her wedding last March. The children's parents also wondered
if this was a good idea.
"These kids were all my students over the last three years and I
wanted them to be there," Ms. Iwrey said. "Things turned out great.
They were so well-behaved and I was glad they could be a part of my
wedding."
Ms. Iwrey and Marla Gartrell have been team-teaching for four years.
One of their former students, Jared Weinerman, 5, (center) said he
loved his teachers because of the "fun projects and paintings we did in
class."
"They are the best team of teachers ever," said Cindy Shifman of
West Bloomfield, whose children Jordan (right) and Zachary (left) both
were students of Ms. Iwrey and Ms. Gartrell. "If I could take them as
my children's teachers through college, I would."
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