'Dedicated' Trenton Teacher Receives Golden Apple

Parents, students and fellow staff members filled the Board of Education Building Monday to honor reading recovery teacher Claudia Gaynier.

Gaynier, a teacher at , was the newest recipient of the Golden Apple Award given to, "teachers who have exhibited dedication and have made outstanding contribution of time, talent, and efforts in support of the students, parents and staff of Trenton Public Schools" according to a press release.

Board president Mike Hawkins presented the award at Monday's regularly scheduled board of education meeting.

Hawkins read aloud comments made about Gaynier by her fellow teachers:

"Mrs. Gaynier is dedicated to student learning," Hawkins said. "She stays late and gives up her lunch period to tutor students. She is innovative and seeks new ideas, methods and strategies to help her students learn and shares the ideas and strategies with her colleagues. She will reteach the different strategies until she feels all her students have learned them..."

Gaynier attended the meeting to receive her award and thanked her students, parents and colleagues.

"I am so humbled because there are so many dedicateed teachers in this district," Gaynier said. "Since I began my teaching career, over 20 years ago, I have have had the good fortune to work with some of the brightest and best and I always thought of you wherever I go..."