2024 Nicholas Popov Memorial Award Winners

---

Lori Carmichael, Speech & Language Pathologist at the Elementary School, supports the students and staff at NES out of her love for the school community without fanfare and without expectation of recognition. 

Lori supports her students directly through fierce advocacy and with unique approaches individual to each student in a small group. In addition, she collaborates with classroom teachers to ensure student success in the larger classroom setting by practicing specific social skills, and working with students on self-reflection. 

Lori prepares her students to successfully participate in activities in the greater community by previewing what to expect on a field trip. She has coached Special Olympics, and for many years she ran “Camp Conversation,” a community-based summer school experience. Most importantly, she teaches her students that they have a voice; both literally and figuratively.

Indirectly, behind the scenes, Lori supports her students just as much. She is a “go-to” person for staff to ask questions of. She takes the time to research their concerns and answers thoughtfully. She is known for always following through. Over the years she has provided a broad range of professional support to her colleagues including being a mentor, a teacher leader, a trainer in progress monitoring and has shared her knowledge about a wide variety of professional topics including neurodiversity and social thinking.

It is this wide-reaching consistent dedication over three decades that makes Lori Carmichael one of this year’s Nicholas Popov Memorial Award recipients.

Nancy M. Miller, Physical Education Teacher at the Elementary School, was noted by her colleagues to be an amazing teacher. In her classroom, she encourages her students to be risk-takers and to try things they might never try without her enthusiasm and encouragement. She’s innovative, particularly when creating activities for students with physical and emotional needs. 

Nancy is extremely giving of her own time. Before school she can be found coaching jump rope several days a week and setting up the gym for her engaging lessons and activities. During her planning and lunch periods, she’s either coaching a double dutch group through their newest skill, preparing for the home cross country meet or preparing spaghetti supper night to raise money so she can take every student on a field trip. In the spring, she’s getting ready for the Kids Heart Challenge, organizing field trips, or making up missed classes during field trip season.

After school, she also coaches cross country, golf and jump rope. This year, she even ran a Kindergarten jump rope group. 

Most importantly, Nancy works hard to ensure that every student is a lifelong learner and that they are aware of a world greater than themselves. She introduces them to adaptive programs so they can learn about disability awareness and inclusion for all. She collaborates on a Memorial Day assembly and walks with students in the Memorial Day parade to help students understand the importance of being thankful for our fallen military.

It is because of these many reasons and more, that Mrs. Nancy Miller is the recipient of the Nicholas Popov Memorial Award for an unprecedented third time.