Our QDR Gold Star Teacher of the month for April is Lynn Ritter, 7th grade math teacher at Falls Lake Academy Creedmoor.
Lynn was nominated by her daughter Cali, who says, “Lynn Ritter is not only the best mom ever, but she is also a phenomenal 7th grade math teacher at FLA. Though my mom wasn’t always a teacher, she was a stay at home mom while my dad was in the U.S Navy, but after beating cervical cancer and receiving her Master’s Degree at UNCW, she began teaching at Neal Middle School in Durham for 1 year, then transferred to FLA in Creedmoor, NC where she has been for 5-6 years. She’s always at school early, but also continues to work after hours either with her students studying or working on her curriculum to benefit her students education whether that be putting in grades quickly or even by finding modern/better ways to teach making it easier on her students, for example, creating songs to remember formulas or making interactive notebooks. She frequently stays in touch with her student’s parents to update them on their child and make sure they’re getting enough support and stability at home for their education as well as helping students with mental health and any learning disabilities. Additionally, she is head of the middle school math department, formerly the head of National Junior Honors Society, and the school’s improvement team. My mom’s job goes even further as she assists new teachers to easily acclimate to Falls Lake Academy’s Project Based Learning environment. She is often student’s favorite teacher, and I’ve had numerous students tell me how great my mom is while I still attended FLA. She gets mail for old students telling her the impact she has made on their lives. In my opinion, the most notable thing my mom has done was at Neal Middle School where the student body consists of primarily minority kids with low income families. My mom did everything she possibly could to help these kids dream big and further their education, always reminding them to aspire to do great things and that background doesn’t matter. Since my mom wasn’t always a teacher, her decision to become one always reminded me it is never too late to make your dreams come true even if that means going back to school. I believe my mom deserves the recognition of everything she does as she’s impacted so many lives by being one of the most compassionate and supportive people I know! Most people hate math, but my mom makes math fun!”
Mrs. Ritter received a commemorative plaque from Creative Images in Cary, a $100 from Crabtree to shop at Auntie Anne’s, and an additional $100 to shop anywhere at Crabtree, a community staple for more than 50 years! His picture will also be featured on the jumbo screen at Crabtree, just below the food court for the month of March!
Want to nominate a teacher that you feel has gone above and beyond for their students? Click the button below to fill out our short form!