Betsy Dhom

Betsy Dhom of South Beloit, is a 2nd & 3rd grade resource teacher at Roscoe’s Stone Creek School, where she’s been the past seven of her 17 years as an educator. She also serves as the case manager for special education students in general education settings. Betsy is a baseball fan who often invokes baseball terms and themes. She says, “baseball involves so much more than just players on a field …. good character, teamwork, rules, expectations, collaboration and failure all come together when sportsmanship is involved.” Betsy is a master of diversity and collaboration, working daily with the social worker, general education teachers, administration, students and their families. One nomination said, “She is exceptionally skilled at designing instruction that accommodates the unique learning styles and needs of each student, ensuring everyone has access to meaningful, engaging and effective learning experiences. Her creativity and resourcefulness in the classroom allow her to provide tailored support that empowers students to reach their full potential, no matter the challenges they face.” She lets students know that even though setbacks will happen and things may seem hard, together, they can do hard things and they don’t need to avoid or distract because of a fear of failure. She helps create strategies and trust, so students are able to take risks, overcome setbacks and fully participate. An observer noted that Betsy knows exactly how to talk with her students to keep them at ease. “It’s easy to see that Betsy loves her students and wants the best for all of them.” Betsy loves seeing how her behavioral students can transform when given the right support. She says, “their challenges do not define them; rather, they become opportunities to teach life skills like problem-solving, self-advocacy and resilience. Watching a student transition from acting out in frustration to successfully advocating for a break when they feel overwhelmed is the kind of progress that fuels my passion as an educator.”