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2009 Teacher of the Year
Silas Almgren
Mathematics Teacher
Montrose High School |
"Simply put, I find myself to be the vehicle to help students find and develop a self-perpetuating discipline that will enable them to become successful at any endeavor they choose to pursue. Specifically, I work daily to create an environment where risks in mathematics will be taken which will engage our students in a process of conceptual understanding. " |
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2008 Teacher of the Year
William "Bill" Hamm
Social Studies Teacher at Olathe High School |
“It is all about relevancy. My role as a teacher is to draw a circle from where we start today and either move forward or reverse the process to explain the cause and effect relationship that each decision had on how we arrived at the present. I think often of an inscription on the sculpture, Titan, “From the past, the man of the present acts prudently so as not to imperil the future.” |
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2007 Teacher of the Year
JOHN KING
1st Grade Teacher
Johnson Elementary
Pictured (l-r):
Ann Braaten, Principal
John King
Dale Davidson, Foundation Board Member |
"Individuals enter the teaching profession for a multitude of reasons. I changed careers in my mid-thirties because I felt that teaching was one of the most creative professiona imaginable. It was a way to positively shape a young mind, model a true love of learning and to know and value each child as an individual." |
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2006 Teacher of the Year
JEFFRA WALTERS
5th Grade Teacher
Northside Elementary
Pictured (l-r):
Bonnie Grigg, Principal
Jeffra Walters
Dick Baker, Foundation Board Member |
"The message I would like to communicate to teachers and the community would be the pride I feel in being a part of the teaching profession and how fortunate I am to be surrounded by colleagues who perform with such a sense of dedication." |
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2005 Teacher of the Year
KATHY BOWMAN
3rd Grade Teacher
Pomona Elementary
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The rewards of teaching:
"Being able to actually see the "light bulb" go on when a child first learns to read reinforces my passion for teaching. Former students visit me to share their successes in middle school and high school, and to thank me for being a teacher who believed in them." |
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2004 Teacher of the Year
KATHY HEAVERS
Senior Seminar & English
Montrose High School |
"I believe in hands-on, real world, standards-based learning where students are actively involved and see the relevancy. As an educator I strive to help students master the skills they need to be successful, and I relate what they are learning to real life." |
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2003 Teacher of the Year
RUSS SULLIVAN
Mathematics Teacher
Olathe High School
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"I see patience as part of my philosophy of teaching as well as a strength. I truly care about my students and how they are doing in my classes." |
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2002 Teacher of the Year
BRUCE GRIGSBY
English & Humanities
Montrose High School
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"If I have been successful as a teacher, I think it has been in large measure because I value thinking about things more highly than the accumulation of information." |