Superintendent of Perry Township Schools
In Perry Township we are proud to have a team of dedicated teachers who are committed to the success of our students. Our educators challenge our students, adjust their teaching styles to accommodate each student’s learning style and make learning fun. They make our students better.
Chris Stevenson is one of those dedicated professionals. A teacher at Southport Middle School, he was selected as the district’s Teacher of the Year. He truly cares for every student.
Through writing assignments he learns about his students’ life experiences, concerns, challenges and interests. Every morning he greets students. Between classes he talks to them about their homework or extracurricular activities, which he attends whenever possible. Mr. Stevenson even invites English learning students to eat lunch with him to practice their new languages. He has a unique rapport with nearly every student.
Mr. Stevenson knows how to grab and keep his students’ attention. It’s not uncommon to see him standing on a chair and reading a poem in a different accent, singing The Jackson 5’s “ABC” or creating characters to teach a concept. He goes the extra mile to help students learn. Mr. Stevenson has also created a Breakfast Club, a voluntary reading program that attracts dozens of students who read a chosen book each semester and then meet each Friday to do activities. On top of all that, he coaches football and track at Southport High, where he has formed bonds with students, parents and staff there as well.
His commitment and compassion also extend to his colleagues. As needed, he invites his teammates to send him students who are having difficulty. He regularly shares his ideas on effective teaching with fellow educators, and he enthusiastically co-teaches with new teachers. Mr. Stevenson even finds time to mentor teacher interns from the University of Indianapolis and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. He understands the value of teamwork.
Mr. Stevenson values learning and personal improvement for himself, as well as others. He is always researching to find the best instructional activities to engage his class when teaching certain skills or content.
To assist his students who are new to the country, he uses Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol, a research-based and validated instructional model that addresses the academic needs of English learners. Mr. Stevenson scours the internet and regularly reads professional leadership books to draw ideas and inspiration from leaders in education and business.
Our students – and our district as a whole – are fortunate to have the influence of Mr. Stevenson. His passion for education will have a lasting impact on his students, peers and tomorrow’s teachers for years to come.