Input from local principals helps the Four Peaks Rotary Club recognize teachers on a monthly basis throughout the school year.

In addition to the recognition, the club provides a $200 check for each teacher’s use.

The Four Peaks Rotary Club Teacher of the Month typically demonstrates the following qualities:

•Has the respect of students, parents, and peers.

•Brings out the best in each student regardless of individual academic ability.

•Is actively involved in providing and promoting high quality educational opportunities for students in the Fountain Hills School District.

Anita Gomez, principal of Fountain Hills Middle School, recently shared with the club why she nominated Luke Salzman as the Rotary Club’s Teacher of the Month.

“Mr. Salzman is not your typical P.E. teacher,” she said. “He’s not scary. He doesn’t make you climb a dangling rope to the ceiling, and as much as he apologizes about it to other staff, he doesn’t make kids take showers.

“Somehow, kids who don’t like P.E. like going to Mr. Salzman’s P.E. class. They think he’s fair and funny. They say they like helping him, even during the health lessons he teaches.

“The middle school boys at FHMS think they have the best P.E. teacher in the world and because we voted, and it was unanimous, it’s true.

“He gets teenage boys to care about keeping healthy and strong and teaches them how to get healthier and stronger. He’s good at dodge ball. He makes us all proud to wear the FHMS PE uniform. We salute him.”

Four Peaks Rotary Club is a volunteer service organization whose motto is “Service above Self.”

Its focus is to support some of the unmet needs of the Fountain Hills community through various fund-raising and hands-on efforts.

Information is available at www.fourpeaksrotary.org or by joining the group for a complimentary breakfast.

Members meet the second and fourth Thursday of every month, at 7 a.m., at the Grill at Eagle Mountain.

For further information, contact club President Bill Beamish at (480) 390-4130 or azbeamish@msn.com.