Celebrating 21 Years of Excellence
After 21 remarkable years of teaching, mentoring, encouraging, and inspiring, McGinnis Woods School proudly dedicated the 2025-2026 yearbook to our beloved middle school math teacher, Ms. Pam.
Building Confidence Through Mathematics
For over two decades, Ms. Pam has done far more than teach math. She has built confidence where there was doubt, created clarity where there was confusion, and reminded generations of students that they are capable of more than they ever imagined. Her classroom has always been a place where mistakes were part of learning, hard work and perseverance were celebrated, and every student felt seen.
Teaching Lessons That Last a Lifetime
Ms. Pam has shaped not only problem-solvers, but thinkers, leaders, and resilient young people. The lessons she taught went far beyond equations and formulas – they were life lessons about responsibility and believing in oneself.
Why Students Never Forget Ms. Pam
And perhaps the greatest measure of her impact is this: as her students grew up, they continued to come year after year to visit their beloved middle school math teacher. She has been invited to graduation parties, weddings and baby showers of former students – a true reflection of the lasting relationships she built and the lives she has touched far beyond the classroom walls.
A Legacy That Will Continue for Years to Come
Twenty-one years of early mornings, late afternoons, grading, planning, laughing, encouraging, and caring have left a legacy that will continue long after this year. The impact of a great teacher cannot be measured, but it can be felt – and we feel it every day because of Ms. Pam.
Thank You, Ms. Pam
Thank you, Ms. Pam, for your dedication, your patience, your wisdom, and your heart. Your influence will continue to multiply, just like the numbers you taught us so well.
Congratulations to Ms. Nicole for teaching at McGinnis Woods for 20 years!
Ms. Nicole has taught many different grade levels throughout the years but her absolute favorite is middle school. She is a certified teacher who loves teaching Social Studies and she has an incredible way of bringing the topic to life. Her enthusiasm rubs off on the students and it is a common occurrence seeing the students presenting PowerPoints about significant events in history, sharing cool artifacts and food during special Friday caravans, or completing STEM lessons about ancient Greece or Egypt.
Ms. Nicole has many special talents which she has shared with our school including her creativity which shines during the elaborate costumes she creates for our annual school musicals. She also heads up our annual middle school campfire and all the middle school socials led by the middle school social committee.
We look forward to another fabulous year of learning with Ms. Nicole!
The 2017-18 Teacher of the Year from the Elementary and Middle School was Ms. Nicole Seltzer. Ms. Nicole joined the McGinnis Woods staff in August of 2000. During her 18 years of teaching at McGinnis Woods, she has taught a variety of grade levels, with middle school Social Studies being her favorite.
Nicole’s passion for middle schoolers, coupled with her love of the curriculum provides our 5-8th graders with a strong and creative academic foundation. She brings history and the world to life each day through the use of primary sources, best practices and engaging hands on lessons. She has also enjoyed accompanying our students on their 8th grade trip to Washington, DC. Ms. Nicole’s desire to make a difference in the life of her students is one of the reasons she is a perennial favorite with the middle schoolers at McGinnis Woods!
Ms. Nicole also enjoys participating in anything that brings out her creative side, including baking, being a Den Leader, a gymnastics mom, sewing, and costume design. For many years, Nicole has created fantastic costumes for our annual musicals including our recent productions of Lion Ling, The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan.
Ms. Nicole’s enthusiasm for life and learning is contagious and we are fortunate to have her on the McGinnis Woods team.