Position: Retiring Special Education Teacher
School: John Adams Middle School
School District: Santa Monica-Malibu USD
City, State: Santa Monica, CA
Music that Describes Lois
Lois Fliegel was nominated by Jacky Tomlinson, a member of her community.
Twenty-five years ago, Ms. Fliegel was that parent who was always in her kid's classes helping out. She fell in love with helping children with disabilities, in particular. Ms. Fliegel found herself doing this to be close to her kids and active in their lives, as her husband, novelist Richard Fliegel, was pursuing his career as one of the deans of USC.
Ms. Fliegel's district was so impressed with her endless kindness that they hired her. When her kids went on to high school, Ms. Fliegel stayed to work with the kids at the middle school. She earned her credential and became a full time special education teacher.
Ms. Fliegel brightens her students' experience with her love of music. She teaches them how to enjoy and create music as part of their experience in school. She has even had several of her students perform in the prestigious "Stairway to the Stars" in Santa Monica.
"I had the huge pleasure of seeing one of her former students perform at Harlowe's Jazz Club in Santa Monica at her album release party a few months ago," said Tomlinson. "I was thrilled to see the outpouring of support from the teachers and administrators in the school district. Lois has fostered all of this over the last 20 years!"
"I personally spoke with the president of the teachers association to confirm that Lois would be the best nominee for the award," said Tomlinson. "Her words were, 'I can think of no one better than Lois. She has really very quietly done so much to help her students! It would be such a heartfelt way for her to close her career with this special acknowledgment.'"