A South Haven resident dedicated to helping students achieve success has been presented with the 2024 Education and Service Award from the Rotary Club of South Haven.
Barb Raak, a 4th and 5th grade teacher at North Shore Elementary School, received the award during the Rotary Club’s annual scholarship fundraiser dinner.
The award recognizes a South Haven resident in the education field who exemplifies the attributes of quality teaching, mentoring and community involvement. The South Haven Rotary contributes a $500 grant to the South Haven Public Schools Foundation in honor of the Educator of the Year recipient.
Joe Allen, Principal of North Shore Elementary School commented:
“Barb has been an amazing teacher for over 25 years. She has organized and facilitated the professional learning community activities for the 4th and 5th grades, leading her grade levels through various curriculums and programs that have been utilized by the school district She keeps up with what our school age children want and need then works tirelessly to make our student’s day not only enjoyable, but highly productive. Barb has an exceptional way of working with parents to make sure the interests of the students are understood and addressed as a partnership.”
Barb Raak began teaching in Covert, then came to South Haven Public Schools 26 years ago. She earned her undergraduate degree at Western Michigan University and her advanced degree at Grand Valley State University.
Barb is part of an innovative program called “looping”. In this program the teacher remains with the class of students for their entire 4th and 5th grade academic years. The teacher, support staff and students have two years of continuity in lessons, intellectual and emotional development and relationship building that improves their readiness for 6th grade and middle school.
Raak continued, “…the students’ growth emotionally, academically and socially during those 4th and 5th grade years is amazing. The whole team of parents, teacher and support staff, can see the big difference this is making in these young people’s lives. This truly is the work of a community of educators, staff, parents and the students themselves.”
In addition to all that she does to help the students in the classroom, Barb and her husband Jim also work with the schools in a field-to-table program providing fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables to the school cafeterias at reduced cost through their Dutchman Orchards and Dutchman Farm Market family farm. When she is not in the classroom or working on the farm, Barb is coaching Junior Varsity softball or working the scoring table at various school sporting events.
When asked, what gives her joy in her role, Barb answered that it was her role in designing and implementing the “looping” program for 4th and 5th grades and then experiencing how much the children benefited and valued the time together through 4th and 5th grades.
Melinda Gruber, President of the Rotary Club of South Haven summed it up from the Rotary perspective.
“We are so proud of Barb. She has worked tirelessly for the children in our schools for so many years and the results are outstanding. Many of her students return years later, as young adults, to work summers on her family farm or in the farmer’s markets because of their respect and admiration for Barb as their teacher. That is an honor that speaks for itself. We congratulate Barb as the Rotary Club of South Haven’s Educator of the Year for 2024.”
Headline photo: Educator of the Year Barb Raak receives award from Rotary Club of South Haven President Melinda Gruber
