Connie Fritsch, a second-grade teacher at Northwood Elementary School, has just been named IUSD's Elementary Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Fritsch was surprised with the good news during Northwood's morning announcements on the blacktop, where she was met by her husband, former IUSD Principal Ron Fritsch; her two sons, Thad and Garret Martin; her daughter-in-law, Laurie Martin; and three grandchildren. "It was so special," she said afterward. "I feel like I represent every great teacher in this district and at this school."Fritsch, a founding member of the Northwood Elementary staff, continuously implements new ideas and strategies to increase her effectiveness in the classroom, and she has been an early adopter of technology to support teaching and learning. Not only is she beloved by her students, she has generously shared her knowledge and expertise with colleagues. Throughout her career, Fritsch has trained numerous student-teachers and served as a mentor to new educators through the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program. Colleagues say her enthusiasm for teaching and her desire to help others are infectious. Moments after Fritsch's honor, there was another big surprise at Northwood. Parastoo "Paris" Shahabi, a kindergarten teacher, was named a Teacher of Promise.
