Ashley Weidman

Ashley Weidman of Rockton, teaches first grade at Roscoe’s Ledgewood Elementary School, where she’s taught the past six of her 10 years of teaching. A student’s parent wrote, “she always gives [children] a safe space to talk and encouragement to advocate for themselves and learn to be ‘big kids.’ She gives the love a mother would give to each and every child in the classroom. She gives meaning to the phrase, ‘I love them like they are my own.’” Another nominator agreed, writing, “She is all the things you’d want for your child’s first grade teacher. My favorite thing is how she includes parents. [On a private Facebook page, she] posts about activities students did in class. It can be difficult for kids that age to remember all the experiences they have each day, so being able to start conversations about what they did in class meant so much. Mrs. Weidman is the perfect example of an educator you want your student working with each day.” Ashley says, “by combining effective instructional strategies, strong relationships with families and collaborative partnerships with colleagues, I strive to inspire a lifelong love of learning in each of my students.” Another Ledgewood teacher expressed that Ashley models grit in both her professional and personal life. “There is no challenge too great and no student too difficult for her to reach.” Another writer of a letter of recommendation praised Ashley for how she genuinely wants both colleagues and students to succeed. “She understands her students’ strengths and weaknesses and works hard to incorporate them into her instruction. The students benefit from this targeted approach, which allows their skills to be remediated, solidified or enriched. Her students can expect to be loved and challenged each day.” An observer to her classroom commended Ashley’s teaching technique incorporating several learning methods in a short period of time. “Changing activities helped maintain interest and focus. The variety, from singing to dancing, to game play, to technology allowed every student to find a place to shine and the best way to learn for them.”