ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The teachers of USD 480 do great work every day in their respective classrooms, and recently, several were honored through the district’s Teacher of the Year program.
This year’s honorees are Bella Ortiz (Bright Start Early Learning Center), Araceli Rios (Cottonwood Elementary School), Jeri Davidson (MacArthur Elementary School), Kris Classen (Meadowlark Elementary School), Jose Rodriguez (Prairie View Elementary School), Cassidy Zielke (Sunflower Elementary School), Amandria Hartnett (Eisenhower Middle School), Brandon Morgan (Seymour Rogers Middle School), and Caitlin Morgan (Liberal High School). Rios and Hartnett were also named the Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, respectively, and both said they were shocked and surprised.
“When the administrator group walked into my classroom, I was in the middle of putting together some homeroom lessons for my students, and when they came in, I was wondering what exactly was going on,” Hartnett said. “Then they told me I'd been chosen as the Eisenhower Middle School Teacher of the Year, and I didn't really know what to think and my initial internal reaction was basically 'Huh?!' And then Mr. [Stephen] Linkous told me not only that, but I was also the district's Secondary Teacher of the Year, and again, I had absolutely no idea what to think. When it finally started to sink in, I did have to hold back some tears because in the back of my mind, I've always wondered if I was good enough for one of the Teacher of the Year honors from USD 480, and it was never something I fully thought was a possibility. But, here we are. I'm still a little shocked about it all because I don't feel like I do anything super extraordinary, I just come in and do my job and work with my students the best I can, and I do that because it's what I love to do. I love to learn and teach, and clearly someone thought I was good enough to warrant a nomination and ultimately the honor itself.”
“I had absolutely no clue, and I was stunned when they came and told me. The administrator group came into my classroom while I was looking for something for an upcoming lesson, and I truly wish someone would have had a camera to record my reaction, because I'm sure my expression was hilarious,” Rios said with a chuckle. “And then Mr. Linkous told me I'd also been named the Elementary Teacher of the Year, and after the news sank in a little more, I felt better about what was going on and I felt so honored to be recognized in this way. I was definitely in shock, and still am, to a small degree. I had been nominated in the past, while I was at Washington Elementary School, and it was great getting this honor this time around not only at the building level, but also at the district level. It makes me feel so seen and appreciated, and I couldn't be more grateful.”
Both Hartnett and Rios also talked about how their interest in the education field was sparked.
“I'm not entirely proud to say this, but I am a high school dropout. I dropped out my senior year, and there's not really any excuse for it, I just felt like school wasn't for me,” Hartnett said. “Then, I got pregnant and had my daughter when I was 18 and was a stay-at-home mom for a while, and then circumstances made me a single mom. After that, I got a job at a convenience store in town and I always knew if I wanted more in life, I would have to eventually go back to school, so that's what I did. I got my GED through the SCCC Adult Education program, and Travis Combs, who was in charge of the program at that time, asked me 'College is next, right?' But at that time, I wasn't sure – my main goal was to get my GED so I could have better job prospects. He went with me to the SCCC campus and got me enrolled in classes, and everyone was asking me 'What do you want to major in/study?' but I really wasn't sure because college wasn't part of my original plan. They talked to me about all the programs SCCC offered, and at some point, I came across the education pamphlet, and that stuck out for me. I liked children and teaching and learning, so all the different pieces just ended up falling into place for me. I got started with my classes at SCCC and ended up just falling in love with the education field. Education actually called to me, and here I am today.”
“I was about 14 years old and had a teacher come to me and told me about a program with student teachers and asked if I would like to do that in the summer, and I said yes because I knew it was a great opportunity,” Rios said. “I ended up really enjoying it and kept with it the next few summers. As time went on, I started thinking about what I might want to do for a career, and since I'd enjoyed the student teacher work, it made sense to stick with the education field. I will also say, when I was growing up in Liberal, there weren't really very many minorities and it wasn't until I got into junior high school when I finally came across a teacher who looked and talked like me, even though she wasn't actually MY teacher. I realized we needed more Hispanic teachers and other role models for the students, so that was also a factor. As far as working with ESL students, I enjoy being able to be that bridge between my students and their parents who might be struggling with their own English skills and helping them feel comfortable. When I started my career, I was a 4th grade teacher, then I taught preschool for several years, and then I became an ESL teacher because I've always had a good way to relate to my students' parents and helping them feel comfortable around me. I enjoy teaching the students a different language while helping their academic skills, and I love seeing my students have that lightbulb moment when they finally understand a concept they might have been struggling with for a while.”
The love for the work, both agreed, is what has kept them going.
“The students keep me going. I get a new group every school year, and I pride myself on being able to get to know my students well and build those relationships with everyone in my classroom,” Hartnett said. “Every year brings a new set of personalities and challenges and behaviors, but despite all of that, I love learning how to adapt my style to everyone. I also work hard to make my classroom as inviting and safe as possible for everyone who comes in, regardless of what happened last year or whatever. I make sure everyone feels safe and valued when they're in my classroom. I've already had some former students tell me how much they miss being in my class, and that's what keeps me going – I might not have felt like I made much of an impact at that time, but when they come back and reach out to me, it's a great reminder.”
“I love my job, it's that simple. No two days are the same, and I'm never bored. I love the people I work with, whether it's my fellow teachers or my administrators, and I've been so blessed in that regard, because they're all amazing,” Rios said. “I also love working with my students, they come in every day ready to learn and know I'll work with them while also being firm. Being a teacher is not just a job I come in and do for a paycheck, it's a job I love because I'm never bored and I love working with everyone I work with. I have former students who have kept in touch with me throughout the years, and it's great seeing how they're doing and what they're up to in their lives, so I feel like I'm doing something right. I want to continue what I'm doing. Being a teacher is a lifelong learning experience, and you have to be a lifelong learner and want to continue to grow and learn. I want to continue growing myself as an educator, that's my main goal, and to help make a positive impact on as many of my students as I can.”
Overall, Hartnett and Rios said, they are very grateful to be recognized by USD 480.
“I'm very honored and grateful to be recognized like this, but I know I can't take all the credit,” Hartnett said. “I am the teacher I am today because of everyone I've worked with in the past, including fellow teachers and administrators and everyone else who have helped shape my teaching style to what it is today. I've had a lot of support from many wonderful people in my career, so if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here today.”
“I'd like to thank all of the USD 480 administrators, all the way from the Central Office to the Cottonwood Elementary School office, and my family,” Rios said. “I have such an amazing support system on all sides, and I wouldn't be the teacher I am today if I didn't have that. I'm very blessed, and I couldn't be more grateful for this recognition.”
