BP honors Talkeetna teacher

TALKEETNA — Teaching in one of the Mat-Su Borough’s smaller schools hasn’t kept Talkeetna Elementary School teacher Joe Page from making a big impact.

Page, a 23-year teacher at Talkeetna Elementary, has been named the BP 2008 Teacher of the Year.

The award is part of the oil giant’s Teachers of Excellence program, which was launched in 1996 in Anchorage and Fairbanks, then later made its way to the Mat-Su Valley. Nominations from parents, students or community members are submitted to BP — along with a self-evaluation from the nominated teacher. A committee then chooses who it thinks best fits teacher of the year credentials.

For those in Talkeetna, Page’s recognition couldn’t be more fitting.

“The thing I like the best about Joe is that he treats each kid as an individual,” said Sue Drover, administration secretary at Talkeetna Elementary.

Drover said Page’s enthusiasm in the classroom and his ability to tailor his expectations to each student’s abilities sets him apart as an educator.

Principal John Brown agrees, calling Page an amazing Alaskan.

“I think he embodies the spirit of what it means to be an Alaskan,” Brown said.

One of the aspects of Page’s teaching that strikes Brown the most is Page’s ability to explore many frontiers with his students, taking their education beyond normal classroom activities, Brown said.

On Thursday, Page was exploring yet another frontier by heading to Kachemak Bay with sixth-grade students studying oceanography. A call to Page’s cell phone for reaction on his award went unanswered. Brown said the school phone does not have a voice mail service.

Page, who is a fifth- and sixth-grade multi-age teacher, isn’t the only local educator to be recognized by BP for his or her prowess in the classroom. BP awarded five other Valley teachers with 2008 BP Teachers of Excellence awards. Those teachers are Rachelle Bates of Iditarod Elementary School, Donald Campbell of Snowshoe Elementary School, David Corneliussen of Goose Bay Elementary School, Steve Harrison of Su Valley Jr./Sr. High School and Patricia Zugg of Mat-Su Career and Technical High School.