The St. Tammany Parish School Board honored “the best of the best” Thursday when it handed out the 2009 Principal and Teacher of the Year awards.

“We are blessed to have so many fine teachers and principals in our schools,” said STPSB Superintendent Gayle Sloan. “These awards are being given to the very best in St. Tammany.”

Awards were given to principals and teachers at three levels: elementary, middle school/junior high and high school. Sloan introduced each honoree by reading from the applications submitted in their names for the awards.

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At the elementary level, Mandeville Elementary School kindergarten teacher Denean Keys was recognized for being a “multitasker extraordinaire.” Sloan added that Keys viewed her job as not only to prepare her students for advancement to the next grade level, but to give them life skills as well.

Principal Rose Smith of Slidell’s Brock Elementary was honored as Principal of the Year for the elementary level. She received a standing ovation from several family and staff members present, and Sloan spoke of Smith’s education philosophy.

“Rose Smith has created a school community in which the teachers and staff firmly believe that every child is important and has the ability to succeed,” said Sloan.

Smith, whose school only recently reopened after extensive renovations to repair damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina, was also featured in a recent People Magazine follow-up on storm recovery.

At the middle school/ junior high level, honors went to Slidell Junior High teacher Melinda Boteler, whose desire to teach began when she herself was in the eighth grade. She found herself with an opportunity to spend a week helping out in a first grade class for a week.

“From then on she was hooked,” said Sloan. “She was filled with the desire to make a difference.”

Recognized as Principal of the Year for the middle school level was Dr. Tim Schneider of Fontainebleau Junior High, who thanked his “school family” for their support.

“My ‘school family’ is a huge part of what goes right every day,” said Schneider.

Mandeville High School took double honors, as Principal Bruce Bundy was named High School Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year went to science teacher Laura Decker.

Decker initially expected to go to medical school and pursue a career as a physician, but realized it wasn’t for her. Once she received her education degree, she said, she felt at home the first time she stood in front of a classroom, and that to this day nothing makes her happier than seeing the love of science take root in a student.

Bundy was noted for many accomplishments, including helping the school to be named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and securing over $700,000 in grant money.

Other awards went to Katheryn McInnis of Monteleone Junior High School, who received the state Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, while the Clarion Award was given to Cypress Cove Elementary School by the Association for Women in Communications.

The school was honored for its contribution to a video produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Called “Cooks for Kids: Healthful Cooking Across America,” the video featured a school lunch program from each region that engages in healthy food preparation.

The board also adopted the new Employee Electronic Communication with Students Policy, which will establish procedures by which employee communications with students are monitored. The policy outlines reporting procedures called for in Act 214, a new state law that requires teachers and administrators to keep a log of all communication with students via cell phone, text messaging or other electronic media.

In addition, Assistant Superintendent Trey Folse reported on the School Board’s participation in the recent trip with parish officials to Washington, D.C. The group met with congressional delegates and federal agencies to discuss forgiveness of post-Katrina Community Disaster Loans, which have recently been called in for payment by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Folse said that in 96 percent of cases around the country the loans are forgiven, and that FEMA has failed to take into account the long-term effects of the storm.

“I felt we were able to provide some new and additional information to the lawmakers,” he said. “Having the agencies speak together was much more powerful than doing so individually.”

In other business, the board passed resolutions establishing National School Lunch Week Oct. 12-16 and Red Ribbon Week Oct. 26-30.