Sandoval, Torres receive Golden Pride awards

The Intermediate School staff was highlighted during the March American Falls School District Board meeting on March 17. Nominated were Alexandra Sandoval, fifth grade teacher and Marisol Torres, teacher assistant. The Golden Pride Award is given monthly to school district employees who exemplify “above and beyond” effort in their assignment of service for students in the American Falls School District

Alexandra Sandoval taught at the Intermediate School for the past three years. Her nominator wrote, “I would like to nominate Alexandra Sandoval for the Golden Pride Award. Alex has been teaching fifth grade at the Intermediate School for three years. She has been assigned to the advanced readers in the 4th and 5th grade. Her students are excelling and she is getting growth at twice the normal rate according to the STAR reading assessment.

“Sandoval is willing to take on various responsibilities that are outside of her classroom time. She has helped create Google forms a number of times to help us track our student progress on the reading prompts that we do.

“Sandoval sets high standards for her students and expects them to achieve at a high level. She continues to grow as a classroom teacher and is willing to create and maintain a challenging environment for her students.

Torres has been a teacher assistant for the American Falls School District for the past four years. Her nominator wrote, “Marisol is a very kind giving person. With her quiet and patient nature, she naturally draws children to her. Marisol has a deep understanding of each child’s individual needs, whether it is a kind word or gentle discipline. She is very observant of the classroom as a whole.

“Marisol is a dedicated employee and is always willing to step in and help, even if it is beyond her responsibilities or on her own time. Marisol innately understands the level of support each student needs to be independently challenged and perform tasks completely. She is sincerely proud of students’ achievements even if the success is small.”