Royal Oak Schools Name Teachers Of The Year

ROYAL OAK, MI — Above and beyond expectations. Role models. Those are just a few of the qualities Royal Oak’s teachers of the year have in common. The district recently honored elementary school teacher Lynne Laurinec, middle school instructor Greg White and high school teacher Leah Doster-Barnett with the awards.

The district went through a nomination process, receiving numerous applicants for the coveted awards. School officials said Laurinec, White and Doster-Barnett stood a fraction above many other excellent nominations.

Laurinec has taught in the district for some 30 years. She is currently a K-2 Title I Reading Intervention teacher at Keller Elementary, Oakland Elementary and Upton Elementary Schools. Principal Sam Lynch nominated her for elementary teacher of the year.

“Her opinion is always held in the highest regard, as she has constantly shown that whatever comes out of her mouth comes from a combination of pedagogical soundness, 30 years of razor sharp professional intuition, and a motivation of nothing more than helping kids be the best they can be,” Lynch wrote in his nomination letter. “Her agenda is nothing more than trying to help kids be successful and working diligently and thoughtfully to make that a reality."

Laurinec has been a mentor to both staff and students, chaired the school reading committee, been integrally involved with school improvement and championed multiple reading initiatives.

“My son was lucky enough to be in the Title I program at Oakland Elementary and Mrs. Laurinec provided him, and us, with the tools he needed to learn to read,” an Oakland Elementary parent wrote in her nomination.
Laurinec holds Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Michigan – Dearborn and a Master of Arts Degree in Reading and Language Arts from Oakland University.
Greg White, who teaches 7th and 8th Grade Math at Royal Oak Middle School (ROMS), has been teaching in Royal Oak Schools for 16 years.

Royal Oak Middle School Assistant Principal Dan Colligan said White acts as facilitator with his students. “His students help each other, are equally comfortable with praise and critique and keep each other motivated to learn more,” Colligan wrote in his nomination of White.

White takes an active role in the middle school Character Education Committee to ensure student equity and improve culture. Last year he worked on a math initiative that paired general education teachers with special educators. White is also actively involved in the building’s social justice work.

“Gregory is always looking for new ways to get students to think and engage in learning,” a colleagues said of White. “His ideas help inspire. He often encourages students to think about how his lessons relate to the real world and his passion for teaching is evident in his daily instruction. He does not tell students how to think, but focuses his energy on different ways to facilitate student discussion.”

White graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Technology.

Doster-Barnett teaches English Language Arts at Royal Oak High and serves as the IB Diploma Programme Coordinator. She has taught in the district for 24 years.

Described as a ‘role model to students’, Royal Oak High School Principal Michael Giromini said, “She makes a point to know her students’ lives beyond the classroom and is often touching base on life events, celebrations and struggles with her students. Leah uses a variety of instructional practices to deepen understanding of the material being taught for all types of learners. Her methods encourage collaborative learning, give students a voice and elicit their understanding to drive her instruction.”

Doster-Barnett graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and received a Master of Arts Degree in Teaching from Wayne State University.

Photo courtesy of Royal Oak Schools