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Press Release

Excellence in Achievement Award Honors Big Sky Educators

11/01/11 BIG SKY, Mont. — Big Sky Resort is proud to announce the recipients of the second annual Boyne Exceptional Educator Award: Lone Peak High School and Ophir School teachers Paul Swenson and Dave Neal.  The award recognizes Big Sky teachers demonstrating exceptional dedication to academic achievement both within and outside of school hours as well as measurable academic improvements.  
The criteria for the award are based on several factors.  Teachers must contribute substantial hours towards tutoring or equivalent focused instruction, demonstrate improved academic achievement with students they tutor, and demonstrate other educational techniques outside of Normal school hours.  Awards are available to as many qualified teachers as apply each year, and decisions are made by an independent selection board outside the district including educators and community members appointed by Boyne.
Paul Swenson, Lone Peak High School Science and Math teacher, is recognized for his work as a dedicated one-on-one tutor and resource for students outside of his regular school hours.  Swanson’s students have shown marked quantifiable improvement after working with him, and his work has won him recognition as one of this year’s Boyne Exceptional Educators. Swenson has previously been recognized for his exceptional teaching as a recipient of the Presidential Award in Mathematics and Science and the Milken Family Educator Award.
Dave Neal, Ophir School 5th grade teacher, is recognized for the second year in a row as a Boyne Exceptional Educator for his before- and after-school tutoring efforts, his innovative classroom techniques, and the quantifiable positive result of these efforts.  Neil also led 100% of his students toward proficient or above proficient levels in math and reading - a feat all teachers certainly strive for, but very few achieve. 
Both Swanson and Neal embody what Big Sky Resort and the Boyne Exceptional Educator Committee hopes to promote and see at local schools. The two recipients will receive a free Big Sky Resort season pass and Big Sky Resort hopes their approaches inspire imitation and emulation.
“The goal of the Boyne Exceptional Educator Award is to help improve student academic performance in the core subjects of reading, writing, math, and science,” said Taylor Middleton, Big Sky Resort General Manager.  “By encouraging innovation and focusing on improving student outcomes, we’re creating incentives for those teachers who are successful.” For over 35 years Boyne has supported and encouraged Ophir School students and educators in many ways, giving the Ophir School Districts hundreds of thousands of dollars of in-kind and cash donations for teachers and students from free seasons passes to free facilities use and much more.   
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