Walnut Springs Middle School math teacher Nancy Palumbo has been chosen by Battelle for Kids as a retiring teacher who dedicated her life to education and made a lasting impact on students, fellow teachers, and the school community. She is one of just three teachers who will receive a Celebrate Teaching Award from Battelle at a breakfast ceremony to be held on June 17. A camera crew came to Walnut Springs recently to film her in action and interview her students and colleagues. That film will be shown at the breakfast and posted on Battelle’s Celebrate Teaching website.
Palumbo, who has taught for 35 years, feels her biggest accomplishment was helping to implement the Middle School Certification at Otterbein University. She worked with National Middle School (John Swaim and Marlene Deringer) on a design team to develop the middle school strands. Previously, there was no middle school certification, only elementary and secondary. The group presented at the National Middle School Conference. This led to student-led conferences, which are now conducted district-wide throughout Westerville City Schools.