Evergreen Honors Master in Teaching Alums with 2012 K-12 Distinguished Educator Award

Janet O’Halloran, Kate Hudson (formerly Trafton) and Tim Holman have been selected as Kindergarten‐12 Distinguished Educators of 2012 by The Evergreen State College.

Evergreen recognizes and honors these alumni educators because of their significant contributions to the field of education.

Tim Holman, MiT 1999, is the High School Distinguished Educator Award Recipient for 2012. For the past 13 years, Tim has taught in the Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, KY. He currently teaches AP US and Comparative Government and Politics at duPont Manual High School in down‐town Louisville. Tim is the lead assistant basketball coach for the 2012 State Champion Lady Crimsons Basketball team and is a member of the School Based Decision Making Team. Tim is married and resides in the historic Cherokee Triangle neighborhood. Tim’s nomination was based on his outstanding work with students; his excellent abilities as a department chair and curriculum developer; and his dedication to bringing community members and important political figures into direct conversation with his students.

Kate Hudson (formerly Trafton), MiT 2004, is the Middle School Distinguished Educator Award Recipient for 2012. She has been a teacher at Marshall Middle School in the Olympia School District for nearly 7 years. For most of that time, she’s taught 6th grade Math and Science. Prior to her work at Olympia School District, she taught 7th and 8th grade math in the North Thurston schools. Always a go‐to person among staff, Kate increased her involvement this year by becoming the building representative for the Olympia Education Association. Kate is committed to helping others succeed and reaches out to new teachers. She has mentored several Evergreen practicum and student teachers. After years of focus on math instruction, Kate has shifted her attention back toward science. She helped start the annual science expo at Marshall Middle School, and she runs an after‐school science club. Working with this highly motivated group of young scientists is a highlight in Kate’s week. Next year she will help bring a pre‐robotics curriculum to 6th grade students at Marshall. Kate’s principal, John Hitchman, stated, “I cannot overemphasize Kate’s positive impact on the sixth graders in our building, her colleagues in the building, and the 5th grade math teachers in the district. She is a game changer and extremely valuable to the Olympia School District.”

Janet O’Halloran, MiT 1998, is the Elementary Distinguished Educator Award Recipient for 2012. She is completing her 14th year as an elementary teacher with the Olympia School District, currently working with 3rd graders at McKenny Elementary School. She received her National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist in 2005. Prior to her work as an educator, she worked in Eastern Washington as a social worker in a community mental health setting and with the Department of Social and Health Services. Janet’s principal, Brendon Chertok said, “What makes Ms. O’Halloran stand out in our field is her extraordinary skill and commitment with students, at the school level, as a District leader and in the larger political efforts of public education. In this respect, Ms. O’Halloran represents the core values inherent to our profession and more specifically to The Evergreen State College’s philosophy of understanding the social relevance and responsibility of our work.”