Student of the Week - Izzi Nolan

Congratulations to Izzi Nolan, who was named Student of the Week at Wednesday's all-school meeting. Izzi is an 11th grade Alpine athlete who comes to KMS from Pittsford, VT. She was nominated for this award by several of her teachers, and the nomination was well-supported by all of her instructors.

Science/Math faculty member Allison Resnick shared, "I would like to nominate Izzi Nolan for Student of the Week. She did a great job transitioning to KMS in the middle of the year and is thriving in my Physics class. She doesn't only care about getting good grades (although she does care), but she also cares about making sure she is fully learning the material. At times she doubts her knowledge and understanding of concepts, but her ability to understand and solve multi-concept problems shows the contrary. She asks great, meaningful questions in class until she is confident that she understands what we are learning. She has been a great addition to our Physics class."

English Department Chair Alex Crivici agreed, "I, too, would like to nominate Izzi Nolan for student of the week. When Izzi came to KMS I immediately gravitated towards her quiet yet outgoing demeanor, sense of humor, and thoughtfulness. Now I teach her in both English and Creative Writing, and it has been a pleasure getting to know her on a more meaningful level. She always comes to class prepared to discuss the book we are working with, or her own writing. In Monday’s Creative Writing class she shared her creative non-fiction piece about sugaring to the class which received a full-out round of applause from the class, Eric and me. I am so excited to see how Izzi grows as a student of English and as a writer!"

Math Department Chair Steve Tuckerman added, "She is also great in Pre Calc!"

Art teacher Eric Kuntz agreed, "She is doing very well in Studio Art and has shown some great improvement in her creative thinking."

Science Department Chair Terri Isidro also nominated Izzi, "She displays excellent participation, effort, and engagement in Sports Medicine class. She always asks very thoughtful questions and works on activities with enthusiasm. Izzy is also very responsible about her assignments and making sure she is prepared for class and for assessments. She's a wonderful student whose presence makes class fun and productive!"

History Department Chair Courtney O'Keefe shared her thoughts, "I would also like to nominate Izzi for Student of the Week this week. Izzi is a great addition to my US History course this year. She consistently demonstrates the skills associated with being a highly focused and driven student of history. She comes to class both determined and motivated to challenge and grow her understanding. This is apparent in many different ways, which includes her active questioning during class lecture, her class discussion contributions, her willingness to reflect on her own understandings both during a lesson and in her turned in assignments, and her determination to approach her study of US History with patience, an open mind, and a desire to see and understand all sides of the historical narrative."

"For Izzi," Courtney continued, "the study of history is more than simply memorizing facts and putting them down on a test or homework assignment. She really challenges herself to link what she is learning to bigger picture themes and ideas, which connect to issues faced by the US today. Her reading and writing skills are impressive, and every assignment she turns in shows a growing work quality of which she can be proud. Her work showcases Izzi as a student who focuses on more than simply turning in the assignment and getting the grade. It shows her to be a student who actively seeks to improve her academic skills with every assignment and accompanying academic expectation. She often seeks me out to look over her work to offer comments/suggestions and/or possible edits, often times working ahead of the assignment's deadline to make sure she gives me enough time to look at it. When I do leave comments or suggest any edits, she approaches them as constructive criticism and uses the suggestions to grow as a student. Often times I see evidence of her having utilized the comments and suggestions from previous assignments in her current work, letting me know that she not only hears the suggestions I gave, but also that she also sees the value in how they can help her grow in her writing. Overall, Izzi is a responsible student who betters all those around her. Her peers look to her as not only a friend, but a leader in the classroom. She goes out of her way to help others, whether it is helping them remember information, reminders about assignments, aiding in navigating Google Classroom, or directing the class focus during a lesson. She is a positive force to have in class and it is a pleasure to be able to teach her. Way to go, Izzi!"

Congratulations on an incredible round of nominations, Izzi! We are so happy to have you at KMS!