Music that Describes Heidi
Heidi Thayer was nominated by her principal, Angela Pratt.
Mrs. Thayer's role reaches far beyond that of being a physical education teacher. She has spent her entire career making the difference for children in Glenburn.
Mrs. Thayer is the wellness coordinator at the Glenburn School Department. She chairs the wellness committee and brings many special events to the school throughout the year that improve educational outcomes and make learning fun! She really gets kids moving. Students and staff alike look forward to her special events because they create opportunities to work and play, make a special memory, and learn something new. Winter Carnivals, field days, Ghouls Night Out, and many other special events make the Glenburn School stand out and bring smiles to the faces of all involved. She motivates staff to get involved and push themselves to help students individually and collectively.
Additionally, Mrs. Thayer has started a Helping Hands program that serves the larger community. Helping Hands coordinates with local food pantries, parent volunteers, the school counselor and families in need to provide backpacks full of food to students on a regular basis. Mrs. Thayer originally picked up all the local food donations. When the program became too large for her to continue to coordinate all the pickup and delivery, she enlisted the help of parent volunteers. The girls' locker room at Glenburn School has been transformed into a huge food pantry.
Some of the parents can't get to local food pantries due to lack of a vehicle in a very rural community, working multiple mininum wage jobs that don't align with food pantry hours, or due to being housebound for a variety of reasons. Mrs. Thayer brings the food pantry to them. The entire process is confidential and respectful. Students have regular back packs full of food. To the average onlooker, it only appears that a student has more than one backpack. The backpacks are all different shapes, sizes and colors and blend in nicely, so a child does not need to share the nature of the contents unless they wish to do so. This is key to many families who would otherwise refuse much-needed help.
These families trust Mrs. Thayer, so they trust the program. They know she has good intentions, is professional, and will improve their quality of life through much-needed food. Due to the bags of food, some families can devote funds to heating their homes. In chilly Maine, this gift given by Mrs. Thayer is a by-product, but just as valuable as having a full stomach at bedtime. Helping Hands has gained so much momentum that it now includes needed personal items such as deodorant and toothpaste.
In order to meet the constant demand of the program, Mrs. Thayer regularly hosts special events to keep the pantry stocked. A Hat Day might be in order for random canned goods, while a special "Food Drive Challenge" at each grade level brings in specific items. When the local donations from churches and food pantries along with the donations from other students don't keep up with the needs that people express to Mrs. Thayer, she personally takes on the challenge of raising money to buy what is needed.
This Fall, Mrs. Thayer and her family hosted a Helping Hands Food Drive! She and her daughters baked, and she secured numerous donations of items to sell. She advertised, organized and conducted the indoor yard sale on a Saturday, ultimately raising over $500 for the Helping Hands Pantry. Mrs. Thayer knows that food insecurity has an impact far beyond empty bellies, and she has devoted weeks and weeks of her life making sure she changes the game for those students in need at Glenburn School. She is publicly admired and appreciated for her efforts to go to such lengths day in and day out to feed the hungry. She is privately admired by every child who gives her a hug when they take their much needed backpacks. When students are excited to get a bag of food, you know you are doing the right thing and really making a difference.
I often wonder how she balances a full time job, a family and all the extra activities she provides for the school and beyond. Heidi’s back pack program has helped so many in need but also helps us all; what better way to show our kids than through her example? She reminds us that we are all here for each other. Having regular food drives and efforts to address the needs in our community may reduce stigma over time. Through helping hands our kids will learn something bigger about poverty and economic inequality in our country. Hopefully they will feel a responsibility to always contribute in some way to the needs of their community. I feel inspired every day by Heidi’s compassion and efforts. I hope she gets this well deserved award!
As principal of GES for ten years (retired) I experienced firsthand the transformative power of Heidi’s actions, programs and teaching had on the entire school. Heidi is kind, caring, empathetic and incredibly respectful to all of the students and adults with whom she interacts. Her personality and character had a profound impact in shaping the culture of the school. She is a tireless worker, a teacher leader and role model to those in need as well as being a truly remarkable teacher.
Heidi is so deserving of this award. She is always willing to help those in need. Heidi is always at school early and has an outstanding work ethic. Her positive energy and creative ideas are so contagious. I feel so fortunate that she works at Glenburn.
Heidi, I am so very proud of you! Proud to call you my sister! You are an amazing teacher and mother! Devoting all your time to your students at school and also to your girls at home. You spend countless hours of your own time planning school and community events, games and activities throughout the year for all to enjoy. I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of this award than you!!
Heidi works hard for the children and the staff at her school. She runs the food pantry for the school and provides many fun activities to promote healthy lifestyle choices.
Heidi works hard to make a difference for all the kids in Glenburn. She has taken on many rolls to help students and teachers to make changes in the daily lives.
Heidi is an incredible kind hearted individual. As a parent of 2 children that attend Glenburn School she has been an inspiration and positive role model for my children. Heidi has an unselfish sense of genuine concern for her students.
Heidi is a kind hearted young lady. I’ve known her since her childhood and I am not surprised of all the things she does for the school and community. She was a good student, dedicated athlete and just a good person her family and friends can be proud of. I know I am proud of you.
Heidi is amazing! She goes above and beyond to provide great opportunities for the students of Glenburn School. She is creative and innovative with the activities she provides for the students. She puts so much effort into providing fun activities that keep the students involved and active. Heidi also takes the time to put together fun activities for the staff to keep morale up. Her creativity is top notch. She took on the weekly back pack program to provide food to our families on the weekend and during vacations. She is so deserving of this award.
It's Friday morning, almost the weekend and you suddenly hear music in the hallway. It's Mrs. Thayer with her boom box playing music to get everyone moving and dancing. Week before Christmas, Mrs. Thayer has students hiding Grinch faces in the halls for students to find and hides a Grinch Ornament for the ultimate fun! She organizes our yearly Winter Carnival with fun in the snow and our annual Field Day before school is out for summer. Her enthusiasm for fun is contagious and you can't help but enjoy the activities she organizes. On these days, Heidi spends hours of her own time preparing activities and food for the staff to enjoy after a busy day with students. Heidi leads a small group of middle school students on these days to help run the activities. In this way, she is teaching the students about giving back to the school community and how to work with younger students and their peers.
Heidi's biggest project though is the Helping Hands Food Pantry. She has organized this support for school families who are in need of assistance. Each week, food goes home with students. She organizes fundraisers such as hat day, Halloween costumes and other fun events to have food brought in by students. She has enlisted the help of middle school students on the Wellness Committee to help deliver the food to students.
Heidi is awesome! I don't know of anyone who is more deserving of the Life Changer of the Year Award than Mrs. Thayer.
The town of Glenburn is fortunate to have Heidi Thayer, a kind and giving person, on staff at the Glennurn School.
Where Heidi finds the time and energy for the children and staff of the Glenburn School, and still has time for her own family, is a mystery.
Heidi Thayer is a amazing person. She does so much for Glenburn school and the community. She's a wonderful teacher, role model, friend and deserves this. Helping all the families in our community. Going above and beyond. Such a wonderful person. Thank you for everything you do.
She is an amazing person that needs more recognition!!
I can't think of anyone more deserving than Heidi Thayer! She is such an exceptional professional and wonderful friend. To work with her as a colleague is an absolute dream. She is everything any school system, community member, parent/guardian, and student could hope for in an educator. She exemplifies excellence in all that she does, from teaching Pre-K to 8th grade students, to planning and executing all the amazing activities our school participates in (such as the upcoming Winter Carnival), to heading up our Wellness Program where there is always a fun activity she's coming up with for students and/or staff, to running the school's Helping Hands Food Pantry. It would take paragraphs to list out everything Heidi has initiated and implemented at our school to make each student or staff member's experience fun and memorable, and she does it all with such love, enthusiasm, joy, and grace. Our school would not be what it is without her! She embodies many positive characteristics that would be hard to find in just one person which is why she is so well-loved by the entire Glenburn school and community. Heidi brings the magic to or school that we are so privileged to enjoy. I invite you to ask anyone she has come in contact with and he/she would be able to tell you that she is, indeed, a life changer in more ways than you could ever imagine. She has a deep love and passion for what she does and it is reflected in the lit up face of every child that sees her when she enters a room. Now, if that is not the definition of a life changer, than what is?
So we’ll deserved. She is an inspiration to her students and the community. Thank you Mrs. Thayer.
I have volunteered to help Heidi with the food pantry. She is always thinking of others and what she can do for them. Making each event or holiday special for each child is her priority.
I could not imagine anyone more deserving of this award. She always goes above and beyond, cares tremendously about our school community like it’s her second family and is one of the best people to work with!!
As a former co worker with Heidi for 14 years, I can't think of anyone more deserving of this recognition! She not only is an incredible teacher but goes way above and beyond to serve her school community. With two young children of her own she still managed to plan and coordinate events and the food pantry. She will be in a 7 and leave at 7 some days to be sure her families are set.
She is an amazing individual who asks for nothing in return. ??
I know I thank her. But I don't think I can ever thank Heidi enough. As a family that participates in the Helping Hands program currently her work certainly doesn't go unnoticed. I am waiting for the day that I can return all the help she gives us each week to help other families when the need arises.
If you ask anyone in Glenburn who the heart of the Glenburn school is, they will without a doubt tell you that it is Heidi Thayer. Heidi is a wonderful friend and colleague of mine and I feel so honored to work with her. She is a shining example of a life changer. At the end of each year, I have my kindergarten students write an opinion story on their favorite time of the day. Year after year, I have multiple students write about Mrs. Thayer. Students support their opinions by saying how kind and nice Mrs. Thayer is. Heidi truly connects with the students and works to build a relationship with the hundreds of kids she sees in a day! She plans so many fun activities for the whole school and brings us all together. Many of these activities take up her time at home, but she never complains, she truly enjoys doing it! I love coming to school after a weekend because often times the teacher's room has been transformed with decorations for an upcoming holiday - even the toilets will be decorated for a fun laugh! On top of all of this, she runs the school food pantry to help students and families in the community who need food. Heidi is incredible and she changes the lives of students, parents, teachers, and the community every single day!
Heidi is an incredible educator - not only in the classroom but throughout the community. She started a weekend food program for students and their families that were in need. She organizes events that bring in community members as well as involving the entire school community. She is always ready to help others and provide opportunities for all of the students in the school.
Thank you so much for helping our community! And being a great teacher, the kids love your big smile and energy! You have great compassion and it shows. We hope that you will win Life Changer of the Year!
My son is in kindergarten and I haven't met Mrs Thayer yet however I do see her name ALL over every special/social event with the school and with the food program the school has that she formed. She is amazing clearly and I've NEVER seen a school just do SO much with their students. I am MORE than pleased with Glenburn school system and she is clearly the forefront of alot of it! She's the go to person etc. She certainly has wonderful ideas that not only the kids enjoy but the parents too. I am so proud of such a small community doing so much together. That's how it should be and you see very little at other schools and I know this because I do work in many different communities with youth and I see the lack of events/activities first hand. Community involvement/activities make such a big difference for each child's growth, well being, and development. Thank you Mrs Thayer!
Heidi is an incredible teacher and colleague. She is inspirational and motivational. The amount she does to help support the wellness of staff, students and community is amazing!
Heidi is so generous with her time, which benefits our families, our students and our staff! She takes personal time to plan community building events, collect food for those in need and provides wellness opportunities for both staff and students. Thank you Heidi!
