Indiana University

News Release

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Last modified: Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Eight outstanding Indiana teachers make up new Armstrong Teacher Educators

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. --The Indiana University School of Education has announced eight Indiana public school teachers as the Martha Lea and Bill Armstrong Teacher Educators for the 2011-12 school year. These select teachers participate in professional development opportunities and work with IU faculty and students studying to be teachers over the next year. A committee of IU faculty and former recipients choose the Armstrong teachers. The IU School of Education honored the eight during its annual "Celebration of Teaching" ceremony today (April 27).

The awards are possible through the Martha Lea and Bill Armstrong Fund in Teacher Education, established through a gift from the Cook Group Companies Inc. of Bloomington. In 1996, Bill and Gayle Cook designated a $1 million gift to honor longtime IU Foundation President Bill Armstrong and his wife, Martha Lea. The Armstrongs asked that the gift support Indiana's teachers and worked with the Cooks and the School of Education to develop the program. In memory of Bill Cook, who died on April 15, 2011, the Cook family designated memorial donations be directed to the Armstrong Fund.

"It was such an important program to Bill Cook," said Phyllis McCullough, executive vice chairman of Cook Group Inc. and a member of the IU Foundation Board of Directors. McCullough was friends with the Armstrongs and Cook and said the program is a tribute to Bill and Martha Lea Armstrong as well as Cook's belief in supporting education. "He was very dedicated to making sure the program has long-term funding," McCullough said.

"The Cook family's generosity has given rise to one of the nation's premier university-school partnerships," said Gerardo Gonzalez, dean of the IU School of Education. "We are very proud of the teachers selected each year as Armstrong educators and the School of Education faculty who work with them. Because of these outstanding teachers and the students they teach, Bill Cook's legacy of promoting excellence in education will live through the ages."

"We are very pleased with the quality and range of experience in this year's cohort," said Peter Kloosterman, the current Armstrong Chair and professor of mathematics education. "We have individuals from across the state who teach everything from kindergarten to AP calculus."

Here are the new Armstrong Teacher Educators:

Since 1997, superintendents and principals from around Indiana have nominated teachers for the Armstrong Teacher Educator award based on patterns of outstanding teaching and school leadership. The nominees must also demonstrate a potential to work effectively as mentors and role models for pre-service teachers. The endowment also supports the Martha Lea and Bill Armstrong Chair in Teacher Education. Since the program started, more than 100 Indiana teachers have earned selection as Armstrong Teacher Educators.

More about the Armstrong program is available at www.armstrong.indiana.edu.


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