Ms. Heniser is a seventh grade Language Arts teacher at Claire Lilienthal School in San Francisco. She has taught for nine years in the San Francisco public school system and for fourteen years, overall.

In addition to running what many nominators called a "safe, organized classroom" where students want to learn, Ms. Heniser has engaged her students in a variety of fun, thoughtful and challenging activities, including making posters appreciating differences and promoting respect, a "coat of arms" activity, related to a month-long writing assignment and -- in a feat of superhuman teaching effort -- organizing a class field trip to Yosemite. After the trip, Ms. Heniser engaged her students and their parents in discussion over how the field trip could be improved upon the following year and how it could be more organized, challenging and educational.

One student reported that "Ms. Heniser makes me want to learn. She gives us topics that interest me. She prepares us well by keeping us on top of things. She tells us what to study, reminds us to study in advance, and helps us feel ready for tests. She is great at controlling a class, too. My class knows that we don't have time to fool around and Ms. Heniser reminds us that. Ms. Heniser is very fair and if you want to learn, you'll learn."

According to one parent, "It is our good fortune that Ms. Heniser has ALL of the qualities that are essential to teaching ... In a diverse, urban setting: clear rules that are consistently enforced high expectations, encouraging words and exceedingly well-organized lessons ... Ms. Heniser is one of those teachers you wish could follow your child through all three years of middle school."

We are fortunate to have a teacher like this in our San Francisco community. Congratulations again to Stacy Heniser, truly deserving of this award!