Educator of the Year

“As a teacher you sometimes wonder if you are making any difference. But when you receive a hug or a note from a student or a recognition like this it’s great affirmation that you are making an impact with someone within your classroom. I truly believe that all teachers should be appreciated and honored in some way. It could be through a phone call, email, a donut treat, or even a hug, that one thing is great encouragement and can brighten their day through that simple act!” - Mrs. Angie Olson

To see an auditorium filled with people who are grateful to have an educator who selflessly gives of herself every day is an awe-inspiring moment. Smiles and cheers filled the auditorium at Fred Assam Elementary the day that ‘hood Magazine awarded Angie Olson with the 2020 Educator of the Year award. Vern Eide Motorcars generously joined in on the fun this year and awarded Mrs. Olson with a $500 check to supplement her classroom and keep the learning experiences active & alive in her student’s lives.

One of the most unique characteristics of Mrs. Olson’s nomination is that there wasn’t just one family who wrote in to tell us about how much they enjoy having their child spend their days with Mrs. Olson. SIX different families sent us incredibly heartfelt nominations about the impact that having a kind, enthusiastic and passionate educator like Mrs. Olson has done for their child. Our words would never do justice to the phenomenal nominations that rolled into our inbox. Words like

these speak volumes to the lives that educator’s impact tirelessly day in and day out:

“Mrs. Olson is everything you ever wanted in a teacher.”

“She wants to get to know her students outside the classroom.”

“Mrs. Olson goes above and beyond her job for her students.”

“Her enthusiasm for learning is definitely apparent through her teaching and shows who she is as a person.”

“We LOVE Mrs. Olson. She makes 2nd grade fun!”

“Mrs. Olson exemplifies the exact person I want my child to see as a role model in her life.”

It’s not only the parents who love Mrs. Olson with all their heart. After the award ceremony, we took

some time to go back to the classroom and watch the students interact with Mrs. Olson. Not only were the students smiling & attentive, they were genuinely enjoying their day in the classroom. When we asked the students if they’d like to say a few words about how much Mrs. Olson means to them, EVERY hand in the classroom went up! It was heartwarming to hear the enthusiasm that these adorable 2nd graders wanted to tell us how much Mrs. Olson means to them. Out of their mouths came words like:

“She’s the best teacher and she’s always so happy!” – Alivia “She’s really, really, really awesome!” – Faith “She always has games and surprises for us.” – Wayne “She lets us have a boys party and a girls party.” – Zac “She is one of the best teachers. She’s very sweet.” – Harper “She’s a fun teacher. She makes songs to help us learn.” – Aura And my personal favorite… “She’s very, very, very, very…a dozen more times…very sweet!” – Evelyn “She’s the best teacher and she’s always so happy!” – Alivia “She’s really, really, really awesome!” – Faith “She always has games and surprises for us.” – Wayne “She lets us have a boys party and a girls party.” – Zac “She is one of the best teachers. She’s very sweet.” – Harper “She’s a fun teacher. She makes songs to help us learn.” – Aura And my personal favorite… “ She’s very, very, very, very…a dozen more times… very sweet!” – Evelyn

Nearly every interaction with both parents and students mentioned the time that Mrs. Olson is willing to invest in her students outside of the classroom. From going to sporting events that are important to her students to throwing parties on a Saturday for her class to bond outside of the classroom, these little investments in time are clearly what mean the most to those who are closest to her. It’s incredibly clear that Mrs. Olson values investing in those around her and it’s that heart of service to others that stands out us that she is a perfect fit for this award.

The lesson that I think we all can take away from Mrs. Olson is that investing in people, young or old, will give you back a fruitful reward. “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank l

Honorable Mentions Tony Waterman, Bus Driver, Tea “Tony is a very caring, compassionate person. He kindly waits for the children to get on the bus even on those days that he can tell our household is run ning behind. The children love Tony. They are always speaking highly of him and how kind he is. He makes riding the bus enjoyable. Tony never turns down a high five when my children see him out in public.“ Joseph Thompson, Preschool Teacher, Discovery Learning Center “I am a single mom of twins. I moved to Sioux Falls SD from Westminster CO for my girls to have a better life. Mr. Joe has been the sweetest and most inter active teacher my girls have had. He is extremely understanding when I forget to pack something in the girls’ back packs. Mr. Joe makes learning fun and motivating for the kids in his class to learn. Mr. Joe makes sure to take all of his students on many field trip each year such as to the Washington Pavilion, pumpkin patch, Sky Zone, and even to the dentist for a tour and more learning. Mr. Joe also records some of the activities in class and posts them on a private Facebook page for all parents to see what their children are doing in class daily. Mr. Joe works more than one job just to help supply children in his classroom with the materials needed to help teach his class. I appreciate how much Mr. Joe works to help children learn and grow every day. I don’t know what I would do without him.” Another one for Joseph Thompson “My 5-year-old daughter is speech autistic where she can speak 3 languages. We transferred from a small in-home daycare (max: 6 kids) where my daughter was not exceling in any areas pertaining to her educational goals and personal-social goals. Within 2 days, of transferring to Discovery Learning Center South my daughter was out of pull ups, back in un derwear and fully back potty trained. She was age 4 turning 5 in a matter of weeks and this was a major issue that our old daycare did not assist in sticking to routine with. Mr. Joe has also been persistent in sticking with my daughter’s IEP (individual educa tional plan) plan in coherence with my daughter’s school program. He has had my daughter excel above and beyond her educational goals past what was set with the school district’s IEP (individual edu cational plan) plan. Her speech has improved sig nificantly whereas we struggled initially transferring from our old in-home daycare where my daughter barely spoke let alone respond correctly. Her per sonality is now brighter, and she is more social and making friends whereas before she preferred to play alone. My daughter is now able to express her wants and needs with clear verbal sentences. Mr. Joe is also a specialized special education teacher and I am so grateful we found him and have him as a daycare teacher for my daughter. He truly loves what he does and has been a major blessing for us.” Jennifer Even, Special Education & Early Childhood Education Teacher, Tri-Valley Elementary “Mrs. Even has been a staple of Avery’s first 2 years of preschool. Avery began attending Early Childhood education at the age of 3. Mrs. Even began teaching her when she was 3 1/2 years old and we noticed an immediate change in Avery. She was excited to learn. She wanted to go to school. She came home excited to talk about what they had done that day! Early Childhood Development and Special Education in general can be a very daunting and exhausting specialty to get into. You have different and chal lenging behaviors and physical needs to deal with. Kids come and go out of the classroom with needed therapies interrupting class time. She takes it all in stride and with a focused and patient heart. I have sat in on a couple of days with Avery due to some physical requirements. Mrs. Even is patient, inten tional and loving with all of “her kids”. I say “her kids” because she treats each of them like her own. She will call, text or email with as much as excitement as I feel when Avery does something new or she sees something “click”. I can only imagine the hours upon hours she puts into each lesson and activity to help each of her students understand and learn. Avery spent 6 weeks out of class this fall for a surgery and rehabilitation stay in St. Paul. Each week, Mrs. Even would make sure that she had the activities that the rest of the class was working on so that she felt included and didn’t feel like she was missing out. She sent worksheets, activities and notes from the students. Then, she would take time out of their busy school day to FaceTime with Avery so she could see everyone and say hello. To say that it boosted her morale is an understatement. Six weeks away from her “normal” was so hard and to be included and so cared for made all of the difference! “ 2020 Educator of the Year

Another one for Jennifer Even “As one who inspires and molds the young minds of Tri-Valley’s future, through Early Childhood Edu cation, Mrs. Jennifer Even is a deserving nominee for Teacher of the Year. To say that we are grateful to have her teach our child for a second year in a row would be an understatement. Tri-Valley has an exceptional staff all around, but she is truly on a level of her own. Many of her students face challenges beyond the classroom that make it hard for one to comprehend. She embraces each need and exceeds all expectations. Due to personal challenges early in life, we were told from professionals that our son would have a developmental delay and likely be at least a year or two behind others his age, academically. Mrs. Even has brought about a level of confidence and

potential in our son that we did not anticipate seeing so soon. Thanks to her dedication, caring soul, and enthusiasm to see her students succeed, he has met his goals, both academically and socially. Thanks to Mrs. Even, he will be advancing to Kindergarten, on time, at age five. While time in the classroom is crucial, much of Mrs. Even’s time is also dedicated to assessing specific needs and assisting in the assembly of Individualized Education Programs for her students. She works alongside an extraordinary team of specialists to configure the best strategy and plan so each child is given an optimal opportunity for success. Her flexibility in scheduling activities around the ins and outs of the students’ various therapy sessions is unparalleled.“

Names of all 2020 nominations: • Alexis Lewis, Kindergarten Teacher, Brandon Elementary • Alyssa Johnson, 2nd Grade Teacher, Brandon Elementary • Amanda Treloar, Student Registration, Venture Elementary – Tea • Amber Smith, Kindergarten Teacher, John F. Kennedy Elementary • Amy Dreke, Kindergarten Teacher, Pettigrew Elementary • Angie Olson, 2nd Grade Teacher, Fred Assam Elementary - Brandon • Brittany Wipf, Administrative Assistant, Baltic Elementary • Casey Raaen, 6th-8th Grade English Teacher, Sioux Falls Lutheran • Cathie Vortherms, 4th Grade Teacher, R.F. Pettigrew Elementary • Eliana Gutierrez, 1st Grade Teacher, Sonia Sotomayor Elementary • Emily Rhodes, Administrative Assistant, Venture Elementary – Tea • Jennifer Bogue, Kindergarten Teacher, Hawthorne Elementary • Jennifer Even, Special Education & Early Childhood Education Teacher, Tri-Valley • Jessica Eckmann, Kindergarten Teacher, Iroquis • Joseph Thompson, Preschool Teacher, Discovery Learning Center • Julie King, Special Education Teacher, Centerville • Karen Kluin, Reading Specialist, Robert Bennis Elementary • Kim Hankel, 1st Grade Teacher, Discovery Elementary • Lindsey Lambert, Preschool Teacher, Baltic • Lucas Bartolome, 3rd Grade Teacher, Sonia Sotomayor • Lynette Wagner, Kindergarten Teacher, Rosa Parks Elementary • Maria Renteria, 1st Grade Teacher, Sonia Sotomayor • Joe Kricvachka, 4th Grade Teacher, Brandon Elementary • Mrs. Retzer, Kindergarten, Lincoln Elementary, Aberdeen • Nathan Rotert, Counselor, Freedom Elementary – Harrisburg • Peggy Maxwell, Kindergarten Teacher, Robert Frost Elementary • Rhonda Youngquist, 4th Grade Teacher, Discovery Elementary • Sarah Greer, Kindergarten Teacher, R.F. Pettigrew Elementary • Stephanie Jones, Principal, Hawthorne Elementary • Tina Schneider, 5th Grade Teacher, Baltic Elementary • Tony Waterman, Bus Driver, Tea