LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Tracy Ivanic was nominated anonymously.

"She is a mother to all," said the nominator. "Tracy has been a NYC elementary school teacher for 27 years, serving 22 in her current school. She has always had high ratings as a teacher as well. Tracy has been a science cluster teacher for the last 18 years there. She loves what she does. She constantly raves about her students and her job."

"I remember a few years ago, Tracy mentored two 6th-grade boys. She spent 20 minutes with them every morning just playing basketball or football and letting them talk about whatever they wanted to talk about at the time," said the nominator. "They would tell her very personal things and ask for her advice. They began coming to school more regularly and even spent some periods eating lunch with her or helping her with her students in younger grades. They both graduated that year, and their parents couldn't thank Tracy for the change they saw in their sons. They will spend time with Tracy whenever they see her in the local park and always thank her."

"Seeing such results, Tracy still allows students to come to spend some lunch periods with her and have someone to talk to. I have been to the school and have seen how much her students love her. They write notes and draw pictures, and their parents write wonderful thank-you notes. She even had one student who would stop by her room every day last year to see how she was and tell her how he was doing. That 5 minutes put a smile on both of their faces," said the nominator.

"Tracy is the UFT Chapter Leader in her building. She is constantly staying late to attend different meetings pertaining to the school's everyday workings. Tracy has been an active social committee member, helping to plan all types of parties, including honoring retirees, staff breakfasts, staff lunches, and dessert parties. She founded an Attendance Committee and uses some of her free time to call parents of chronically absent students to check in on them. She tries to find out why they are chronically absent and then tries to help remedy the situation. The program has since been expanded to include a few more teachers, with 20 minutes each day dedicated to this important work. She always creates an atmosphere of caring and respect, which is evident in how current and former students behave for her and love to see her in the hallways," said the nominator.

"Tracy is on the School Leadership Team, the Safety Committee, the Attendance Committee, the Professional Development Committee, the SEL Team, the Parent Teacher Association, and the AIM Team, a program to help create stronger Leaders. On a larger scale, Tracy is on the NYC DOE Elementary Science Leadership Team, where she is responsible for creating and facilitating professional development for other teachers in science," said the nominator. "Tracy is also a member of the District 24Q Science Leadership Team, where she is responsible for helping to facilitate professional development for full-day sessions. She also helps conduct a professional learning group via Zoom once or twice a month to help support other science teachers in her district. Tracy uses her position on these Teams and Committees to fight for the best conditions and programs for all students in her school."

"Most recently, as a member of the School Leadership Team, she began a campaign to have her school truncated from a K-6 school to a K-5 school," said the nominator. "Tracy spoke at the recent Community Education Council Meeting to explain why this was so important. She tried to explain to all stakeholders that it was appropriate on all levels: socially, emotionally, and educationally. Tracy even told parents that it is not about them and that they should put their own feelings aside and allow their children to transition at the appropriate grade and age...She will speak on the matter as it has now moved to the next stage, the Joint Public Hearing. Her principal told her that the District Superintendent at the meeting spoke of how she loved Tracy's energy and enthusiasm. Many parents in attendance, as well as members of the CEC, said they agreed with her comments and reasoning. Hopefully, she will help win this battle she feels so deeply about."

"Tracy treats her students as if they were all her own children," said the nominator. "She tells them that she is their mother when they are in school. Tracy also gives tough love and, on rare occasions, has to call a parent about a child's behavior, but always tries to give one positive about the child before the negative. In treating her students this way, she has rarely ever had to call the administration to help with a child's behavior. They love and respect her, behave well for her, and get their work done. She vows to make learning science a fun experience so that students want to be there. Students will often say that science is their favorite subject and that the days they have science with her are their favorite days of the week."

"I feel very strongly that Tracy embodies all of the criteria to receive this award and recognition," said the nominator.