Sonoma’s Prestwood Elementary announces its Students of the Year

Prestwood Elementary fifth grader Tilly Francis has been named Student of the Year for the 2018-2019 school year. Francis is described by her teachers as an ”amazing addition” to the school community. She takes great pride in her academics and is a respected leader among her peers. Her smile, which staff members say they look forward to daily, “reminds all of us to stop and enjoy learning.”

Tilly’s fifth-grade teacher Amber Williams says that Tilly’s desire to always do her best and her caring nature is contagious. During Readers and Writers Workshop she methodically implements the strategies within each mini-lesson into her work. She is a leader in mathematics as well, often supporting students in her group that just need it delivered from a fifth-grade perspective.

“Having her in the room raises the bar for those around her,” said Williams.

Tilly is also a co-president in student council. During meetings she is known to be kind and to listen to all of the representatives and guide them through a process that is focused.

“Her ideas are creative and engage her audience,” says Williams.

Fifth grader Kate Sutter was also named Student of the Year for Prestwood Elementary. Kate has been an outstanding student academically throughout her school years at Prestwood. She has made the Honor Roll each semester since fourth grade. She is also described as well-loved across the school community by all of her former and current teachers.

Kate is known to be not only academically strong, but also a leader. She served in student leadership as a class representative while in fourth grade, and she has gone on to be elected as co-president in student leadership this year as a fifth grader. She is very involved in the leadership meetings and takes an active role in running the meetings.

Kate’s teachers say she is well liked by her classmates. She treats others with respect and has a warm caring heart. She includes others and goes out of her way to help her classmates.

“Kate is a well-rounded, bright, caring student that enriches all of our learning at Prestwood,” says fifth grade teacher Rhonda Pipkin. “It is a pleasure to be her teacher.”