McVay Wins Spirit of the Bulldog Award
Wylie teacher Mandi McVay was honored with the Spirit of the Bulldog Award by Wylie Bulldogs Education Foundation on Aug. 13.
McVay is a transitional kindergarten teacher at Wylie and was recognized for her progressive and creative use of technology and hands-on teaching methods to help her students excel.
Each year, the foundation teams up with Abilene Regional Medical Center to welcome the district’s new teachers with a luncheon. The award is presented at that luncheon and was created in honor of Becky Rentz, a former kindergarten teacher who has a heart for teaching. Rentz is the president and the driving force behind the foundation.
McVay has utilized grants from the foundation to buy items to help her students such as manipulatives to teach math. Manipulatives include math counters, magnetic letter builders and number line activity charts that give students a hands-on learning experience.
McVay also used a grant to purchase 15 iPod shuffles and 15 headphones to help transitional kindergartners who have not yet mastered beginning reading.
McVay (right) is pictured here with Pauline Webb, the New Teacher Luncheon Coordinator and a WBEF board member.