To no surprise, Mrs. Becky Crass was presented with an August Whatever It Takes Award!

 

Becky Crass is the perfect picture of a teacher who not only loves her students, but also creates the most engaging lessons that pulls her students so far into the learning that they cannot wait to come back to her class the next day.

 

We often ask the question, if they were selling tickets for your classroom, would anyone want to buy one? Well Mrs. Crass's classroom would be “Sold Out” with standing room only! She spent many years as a special education teacher before moving into general education. Her instructional expertise that ensured success of students receiving special services is now a support for any resistant learner.

 

When Springhill Elementary started implementing hooks into their units, she embraced the idea and created some of the most exciting learning hooks. When walking into Mrs. Crass’ classroom, it may be entirely converted into a Paris cafe with cappuccinos and croissants for each child to sample as she builds background knowledge on the city of Paris, the setting of her new extended novel. You may see her dressed up like a circus ring leader or a magician, or even what a school room would look like for students during the Dust Bowl Era with students putting on bandanas and having a desk that is covered with dirt and sand. Who would not want to learn in this type of classroom? Her hooks became so famous that when the district moved to common Unit planners, the 5th grade unit planners became filled with her ideas on hooking students into the learning.

 

She is not only an expert teacher, but she loves to share with her other 5th grade teachers across the district to build the very best units that they possibly can for students. We are beyond blessed to have such a loving and highly impactful teacher at Springhill Elementary and in Greenbrier Public Schools. She definitely is the model of doing "Whatever It Takes" for students!