Mercer Island Preschool Association is delighted to announce the recipient of the 2008 Exceptional Educator Award.  This award is presented to a teacher, assistant or administrator from a preschool, daycare or enrichment center for their exceptional contribution in the education of preschool children. 

The winner of the 2008 Exceptional Educator Award is Rita Macomber, a Teacher/Director from Mercer Island’s Emmanuel Day School.
 

Rita Macomber has been teaching at Emmanuel Day School for the past 20 years, guiding the 4’s class and Enrichment programs. Rita was raised on a Colorado cattle ranch, and received her BA in education from Western State College. She is a certified K-12 teacher, but Emmanuel Day School and her students are fortunate that she has chosen to teach there since 1988, shortly after she moved to the Seattle area. She and her husband are long time residents of Seattle. She is also the very proud mom of two grown children - Brooke and Blake.

Rita has created many programs for YMCA and camps for children of working parents in addition to her input to the 4’s and Enrichment curriculums at Emmanuel. Rita received many nominations for this award, from both past and current students and families. She is described by many as possessing the unique ability to be the loving but also firm hand that guides her students in that transition from preschool to Kindergarten. Her students raved about her passion for science topics and her commitment to teaching them about the world right around them and abroad. Parents consistently praised her honesty in reporting to them about their child’s development and her guidance in making the necessary decisions for their educational future.

MIPA is pleased to honor someone who has dedicated so much to her students, many of whom are still guided by what they learned in her classroom years later. Her ability to both nurture and develop students while still fostering independence will serve her current and future students for years to come. Many parents described Rita as being “the best teacher their children have ever had”, and MIPA is pleased to honor such an asset to our preschool community on Mercer Island.

We will be recognizing Rita Macomber at a reception on June 12th at the Emmanuel Day School end of year picnic from 11:30am–1:00pm at Emmanuel.