January 14, 2005


Teacher of the Month:
Jim Boismier, Fifth Grade

Tom Matsumoto Elementary School

When the second year Webelos in the Flaming Arrow Patrol of Pack 265 began working on their “Communicator Badge,” den mother Susan Truong asked them if they would like to nominate a “Teacher of the Month” for the Evergreen Times to fulfill their requirement.

They replied with a resounding “Yes,” because they all had their current teacher in mind: Jim Boismier, a fifth grade teacher at Tom Matsumoto Elementary School. Here’s what the cub scouts had to say about their teacher:

“I like Mr. Boismier because he takes time after class to help me,” says Tyler Archie. “I also like him because he is funny. When you say an answer that’s obviously wrong; he will tell you that it is wrong in a silly way. This makes the class laugh.”

“I think my teacher, Mr. Boismier, is the best teacher ever,” adds Andrew Truong. “At the award-winning Matsumoto School, he teaches fifth grade. He is very nice, thoughtful, and considerate.

I really hope that he is Teacher of the Month, and we are crossing our fingers. I can’t wait to go into the doors of room 30 each day because of him.”

Last spring, fifth grade teacher Jim Boismier joined two of his former students at a Holi Festival celebration in their Evergreen Hills neighborhood.

Albert Wong continues, “I think Mr. Boismier should be nominated as Teacher of the Year. Once we are done with a test, he corrects the test right away so we get immediate feedback. Every week, he sends home a progress report so our parents know how we are doing in school. After a lesson, he asks if we need more help. I think a teacher like this should be Teacher of the Year.”

Ali Palla says, “Kindergarten was okay. First grade was okay, second grade was good. Third grade was okay, fourth grade was okay, but fifth grade is great! My teacher, Mr. Boismier, makes school great! He’s funny and he’s a good teacher. He can be sooo funny and still be teaching us a lot! When we don’t get a math problem we missed, he works it out for us. He understands mistakes and helps us avoid them. Kudos to my favorite teacher.”

Kiran Palla, Ali’s sister who is now in seventh grade at Quimby Oak Middle School, had to chime even though she’s not part of the Cub Scout patrol earning a badge.

“I remember sitting outside with my friend at lunch when I was in fifth grade,” recalls Kiran. “We were discussing our teachers and projects we had done so far. That year I was in Mr. Boismier’s class, the only one of us all.

“The rest of my friends talked about art projects and things like ‘All about Me” posters, or tissue paper collages,” she continues. “When it was my turn, everyone expected me to say something like that. Instead, I was able to glow as I told them about the Web site I had made and the animation project I had made in Mr. Boismier’s class.”