Lakeville's 2011 Friends of Education Honored

Editor's note: The following article is a press release written and provided to Patch by Lakeville Area Public Schools.

Each year, Lakeville Area Public Schools present Friends of Education Awards to honor outstanding individual contributions to the Lakeville Schools. The awards recognize people whose service has been on-going in one of these categories: Volunteer Service, Business Partnerships, Distinguished Service, Human Service, and Education.

The awards were presented at the 2011 Staff Recognition Reception that was held on May 25. The winners are:

Business Partnerships - Tom Gillespie

Tom is the owner and CEO of  Gillespie and Associates. He also teaches at Hennepin County Technical College in the industrial technology program. Through the past 12 years, Tom has donated his time to teach students how to program PLC’s—Programmable Logic Controllers. They are a form of intelligent controller like a computer. Once programmed they can tell machines to turn on or off, as well as send signals to perform various tasks.   

He is available day or night and provides his cell phone number to students and encourages them to contact with questions—whether he is in the Twin Cities or away on business. 

Through Tom’s dedication to student learning and his willingness to be available for student questions he has motivated and inspired the entire Industrial Technology Department to follow his lead. He is an outstanding role model for both students and staff.

Tom has through his support and encouragement, made the Technology Challenge program a huge success. Tom contributes not only his time but he also donates equipment and devices critical to the Tech Challenge program. Some examples:  smart relays, pneumatic devices, and software.

Many student testimonials were included with Tom’s nomination and perhaps they speak the loudest about his influence in the lives of our students and the importance of business leaders in education. 

Distinguished Service - Tom Coughlin

Tom has contributed to Lakeville Schools as an employee and active community member for more than 25 years. He helped lead the district through times of tremendous growth and change. He continues to be a “life-long” educator through his work with Hamline University and numerous consultations with public school districts seeking his guidance on human resource issues. 

Tom has chaired multiple committees and task forces over the years. Most notably, he headed the task force that oversaw the district’s move from junior highs to middle schools. Recently Tom volunteered his time to lead the district’s boundary adjustment process. He chaired the district committee to develop and implement the district’s first Strategic Plan. He has also served in many leadership roles in various professional organizations.

Tom embodies the mission and vision of the Lakeville Area Public Schools. Tom has always approached problems with calmness and a sense of humor. He wasn’t afraid to make tough decisions but did so with a focus on what was best for kids. As a professor at Hamline, Tom continues to help young would be administrators hone their leadership skills.

Education - Kate Eisenthal

Kate Eisenthal is always willing to look at new ideas from a different angle. She’s willing to take on challenges that have not been accommodated for previously. For example, when a group of parents came to her because their children’s high math needs were not being met in the current program, she was willing to explore other options. Eventually, providing a special advanced class, which allows these kids to take geometry (a high school class) in their own school building this year. She researched the possibilities, found a qualified teacher on her team and did some creative rearranging of schedules to accommodate this special program. This arrangement has made a huge and positive difference in these kids’ academic experience. Kate is always willing to take about options and not afraid to try something new if she believes it will help a child. She’s a great leader who can really get things done.

Kate Eisenthal has very high expectation of herself, her staff and students. She provides an extremely positive environment where there is definitely shared respect between staff and students. People seem to want to step up to meet her expectation level. Kate seems to know all of the students by name and also knows something abut them—a personal interest or involvement. This kind of attention makes a difference in a middle schooler’s life. Positive behavior rubs off on everyone –teachers/staff, students, and parents. What a wonderful environment for these kids to go to everyday. Kate also leads by example.

Volunteer Service – Pat and Tony Miller

Pat and Tony Miller are an amazing couple who have continuously contributed to . They not only volunteer in our classrooms, but work tirelessly behind the scenes as well. You can see them working with children in our Continental Math groups, providing clerical support to our teachers and/or supporting our community financially through their numerous classroom and school-wide donations. They genuinely care for our students and staff.  They respectfully work in a collaborative partnership with Crystal Lake Elementary School.

Pat and Tony Miller have been the cornerstone of Crystal Lake Elementary School’s PTO. Each of them brings a sense of creativity, intuitiveness and motivation to the CLE community.  In the past they have orchestrated and financed CLE’s kindergarten graduation. They have also led the charge in our Caring Cards program, which finances holiday gifts to our families in poverty. In addition, they have taken the lead in planning, organizing and facilitating our Arctic Fun Fair where they have designed our silent auction pamphlets, and sponsored the refreshments. They have also taken it upon themselves to donate to CLE’s library by supporting our nonfiction collection. Their generosity of time and energy seems endless. They have helped establish a philanthropic culture at Crystal Lake Elementary School and are truly “Friends of Education”.

Human Service – Mar Hylbak

Mar Hylbak has not been content just to meet the goals and standards outlined by the early childhood and family education legislation.  She has led the district programs in directions that go far beyond what was expected or typical. She was one of the first (if not the first) to incorporate Early Childhood Screening into the Early childhood Family Education (ECFE) program and is the first to include a Family Support Worker to support the screening process. Other districts now follow her lead.

Mar collaborated with Early Childhood Special Education to create the Building Bridges inclusive preschool program and worked with the Area Learning Center to create a literacy program for families of preschoolers. With heritage Library she established the Books and Beyond program and was instrumental in the development of the Annual Parent Fair. ECFE, Early Childhood Screening and School readiness has not been a job for Mar; it has been a calling. She has gone far beyond what is expected to serve and support all early childhood families in the district.