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Educator of the Week: Robert Gaertig

By KSEE News
January 16, 2012 Updated Jan 13, 2012 at 9:43 PM PDT

"Nice and Safe! You got up there quick!"

Robert Gaertig is making his daily rounds at Roeding Elementary. This former teacher's been in the district fo 15 years and the principal here for five.

"I really enjoyed working with kids, but I wanted to make a bigger impact as far as working with more kids, working with more families. And the only way to do that was to be an administrator."

Mr. Gaertig, or "Mr. G" as most know him, is really a big kid at heart. He's obsessed with Disney characters, the proof is everywhere in his office. And it's that childlike wonder that allows him to connect with the kids.

"What's upppppp!"

"What's up, friends! I'm doing much better....what's up?"

"Hey everybody!!!"

"I'll walk down the hall. Sometimes I'll hear my name 100 times. But it brings me joy and it makes the connection because they feel a part of the school."

"He'll stop for any student in the hallway and listen to what they have to say- if they have a problem or a concern. And I think that's a great attribute for him to have and it really has helped our school."

And, of course, you'll hear the two words every principal in the country has uttered. "Walk please!"

"He's a really great principal. He makes you feel great when you're here, got a really great personality. And he does a lot of things that other principals don't do."

And for that extra effort, we salute Robert Gaertig. It's a small world after all, and he makes Roeding a special one.

Mr. Gaertig also works wonders inside the classroom. Since he arrived at Roeding, test scores in English Language Arts and Math have gone way up!

If you'd like to nominate someone to be our Educator of the Week, it's easy! Just go to our website, KSEE24.com. Then, click on community, then submission. Tell us why your choice should be educator of the week!

Every week, the winning teacher and her classroom will receive a $124 gift certificate from GW School Supply. They'll also get their names engraved on a brick on the 'Teacher and Friends of Education Honor Wall', at Fresno State's Kremen School of Education.

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