Burgettstown teacher wins award
A family and consumer science teacher at Burgettstown Junior/Senior High School was named 2013 Outstanding Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year last month and received $350 as part of her award.
Sharon Baillie, of Cedar Grove, has taught students for 30 years. For 27 of those years, she has been at Burgettstown as a reading specialist and then as a family and consumer science teacher. She began implementing more agriculture instruction in the classroom after the Washington County Farm Bureau sponsored her trip to learn about the concept at Pennsylvania State University in 2012.
Burgettstown School District Superintendant Deborah M. Jackson said she didn’t know the award was coming, so it was a pleasant surprise. “She’s (Baillie) always looking for new and exciting programs,” she said.
As part of the Agriculture in the Classroom program, Baillie successfully applied for a grant to put in a greenhouse and garden at the school. Students started planting food in February and harvested the food and took care of the garden over the summer.
The greenhouse was built in the spring, and Baillie’s students were able to be a part of the building process. Part of it is attached to the classroom, so students could see it as the project developed. In the middle of building the greenhouse, a windstorm tore it apart, but it was eventually rebuilt and students were able to utilize its resources.
Besides the greenhouse and garden, Baillie also brings in members from the Washington Farm Bureau to show animals such as sheep and chickens to students. She uses this method to teach students about things like wool for the fashion design class. “We have a very unique program,” she said, “and a lot of community support.” The family and consumer sciences program also has a computer lab, an iPad lab, a smart board in both classrooms, and a whole science lab set up.
Baillie said watching kids experience new things is her favorite part of teaching. “When they get to high school, family and consumer science is all new. Some haven’t cooked on their own, or gotten to sew,” she said.
The teacher said she plans to use the money she won along with her award to further her current agricultural classroom activities.