Academic Specialist Stevie Von Seeger has been a crucial factor in the school’s success, lending a hand wherever she’s needed. This year, she is focused on ELA in upper elementary but has taught Kindergarten, provided targeted support to lower elementary students, and gone above and beyond to help her colleagues succeed.
Just one example of her dedication to supporting others, Von Seeger made every teacher a class schedule. She took the initiative to help everyone at Pembroke stay on the same page, and she even personalized each teacher’s schedule to match the way their classrooms looked and felt.
As an instructor, she focuses on whole brain learning, a strategy that maximizes student engagement. Getting students involved is a priority for Von Seeger and she tailors her teaching to the way her students learn best. She said each decision she makes is intentional and geared toward helping students succeed.
“I like to get students active and moving to help them learn without them thinking they’re learning,” Von Seeger said. “They’re just having fun and experiencing things rather than just sitting down and reading a book. I also try to put the learning in their hands and monitor discussions that they lead.”
Principal Salwa Kinsey said Von Seeger has set the standard for high-quality instruction and her practices are being used schoolwide. She also credited Von Seeger as a major part of Pembroke’s 2024 Blue Ribbon honor.
“She’s the ideal team player and a natural-born leader,” Kinsey said. “She approaches her role with sincere care not only for her scholars and their families, but also for the good of our school. When we bring new teachers on board, we have them watch her with small group instruction, how intentional she is with her planning, and the strong systems she has in place with her management.”
Kinsey’s pride and respect for Von Seeger made it easy to nominate the educator for the Michigan Teacher of the Year award. Von Seeger was selected to participate in the rigorous process. One of her tasks included writing eight essays about education topics, including detailing new policies she would implement to improve education outcomes.
Von Seeger made it through three rounds and was one step away from a Michigan Regional Teacher of the Year honor. Even though that’s where the journey ended, Von Seeger said she was honored to be recognized at all.
“I’m still proud I made it through as many rounds as I did,” Von Seeger said. “It was a really great feeling when I found out I was selected for this process because sometimes I just do things around school because I want to. I like doing them and I like supporting, not really for the recognition. To be recognized in that nature was something special and meant a lot to me.”
As a member of Pembroke’s staff since it opened in 2018, Von Seeger has mastered Moral Focus™. She said her favorite virtue is compassion because a little compassion goes a long way.
“Everyone comes from all different walks of life and everybody can be a learner,” Von Seeger said. “If you give them compassion and a listening ear, they have somewhere to feel safe, and that can help them build confidence and get where they need to go.”
When she’s not helping Pembroke’s students and staff, Von Seeger enjoys being active in nature. Hiking, spending time with nature, and playing soccer help connect her with the outdoors. When she’s not staying active, Von Seeger likes to read books and do crafts.
She is well-traveled, and these experiences have helped Von Seeger value different cultures and the beauty of the world. She’s taken a trip to Europe and traveled the United States to visit national parks with her family. Von Seeger said she tries to bring the same curiosity to the classroom.
“I love bringing that same sense of wonder and exploration into the classroom every day!”
About Pembroke Academy
Pembroke Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Detroit, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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