Chamber and R-7 School District sponsor spring recognition program
Deadline to nominate an outstanding teacher is Jan. 18
When you hear the phrase “outstanding teacher,” who comes to mind? You may want to nominate this person for the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce Excellence In Teaching/R-7 Teacher of the Year Award.
Twelve R-7 teachers will receive the Excellence In Teaching Award. Each award recipient will also become a finalist for the R-7 School District’s annual Teacher of the Year Award. The district’s Teacher of the Year goes on to compete in the Missouri State Teacher of the Year program.
Any teacher, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, and any guidance counselor or library media specialist is eligible for the program. Part-time teachers, guidance counselors and librarians are only eligible for the Excellence In Teaching Awards.
Former Excellence In Teaching Award winners are eligible to interview for the R-7 School District Teacher of the Year Award if nominated, although they would not be able to win the Excellence In Teaching Award again.
The recognized teachers will be selected by a committee composed of R-7 staff and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and the community. The 12 Excellence In Teaching winners will be announced in March and honored at an April 4 reception to be held at the historic Longview Mansion. The Teacher of the Year will be announced at the reception.
Nomination forms are being sent home with R-7 students during December. The nomination form and a listing of past winners can also be found at the links below. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 18.
Teacher of the Year Nomination Form Past Teacher of the Year Winners
Brian Campbell named R-7 Teacher of the Year
Excellence In Teaching winners honored at April 4 event
| Brian Campbell, a broadcasting/speech and theatre teacher at Summit Lakes Middle School, was named Lee’s Summit R-7 School District 2013-14 Teacher of the Year during a surprise announcement at an April 4 community reception. The reception also recognized 12 R-7 teachers who were named Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce Excellence In Teaching Award winners earlier this spring.Excellence In Teaching winners are Tracy Bertoncin, Lee’s Summit High School; Ricky Boedeker, Greenwood Elementary School; Stacey Bryant, Underwood Elementary School; Jessi Cox, Summit Pointe Elementary School; Kathy Giangreco, Bernard Campbell Middle School; Dr. Sarah Graff, Lee’s Summit North High School; Peggy Hinzman, Summit Technology Academy; Kay Rader, Sunset Valley Elementary School; Melissa Searls, Lee’s Summit West High School; Deanna Soukup, Bernard Campbell Middle School; Laura Turner, Highland Park Elementary School; and Michael Walker, Summit Lakes Middle School.The Teacher of the Year is selected from R-7 educators who are either current or past winners of the Excellence In Teaching Award. In addition to the Excellence In Teaching winners, other finalists for Teacher of the Year included six former Excellence In Teaching winners, also known as Teachers of Distinction, who were nominated for the award again this year. These former winners had the opportunity to interview along with this year’s award recipients for Teacher of the Year and were also recognized April 4. They are Brian Campbell; Summit Lakes Middle School; Stacy Collins, Lee’s Summit North High School; Dr. Gail Morton, Hazel Grove Elementary School; Barbara Noble, Longview Farm and Sunset Valley Elementary Schools; Deborah Parker, Lee’s Summit North High School; and Carla Thomas, Prairie View Elementary School.All Excellence In Teaching winners were also honored with the Hertzog Leadership Award, established through the Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council to honor Dr. Robert (“Bud”) Hertzog, businessman and community leader. In addition, the Teacher of the Year receives a $100 Cathy Paulson Heart to Heart Award. This award is funded by the Loren Paulson family in honor of Cathy Paulson, who passed away in 2010.The Excellence In Teaching program and reception are sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the R-7 School District, and all students, parents, R-7 employees and community members are invited to nominate outstanding teachers. The recognized teachers were selected by a committee composed of R-7 staff and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and the community.As Teacher of the Year, Mr. Campbell will go on to participate in the Missouri Teacher of the Year program.Mr. Campbell has been a Summit Lakes Middle School teacher since 2000 and previously taught history at Pleasant Lea Middle School for three years. He has served as lead teacher for the SLMS Speech and Theatre Department since 2006 and also serves as his school’s music and awards show director, talent show co-director and previously served as yearbook advisor.
In nomination forms, Mr. Campbell was praised for his caring attitude toward students, his creative approach to instruction and his leadership at Summit Lakes. “Mr. Campbell demonstrates a terrific balance of humor with high expectations for his students which often earns him the title of ‘favorite teacher,’” stated a parent. “His actions demonstrate that he realizes the importance of building positive relationships with students. Mr. Campbell takes the time to get to know students and encourages them to consistently produce their best work.” The R-7 Teacher of the Year said his teaching philosophy is shaped by his own experiences in school, his life experiences, contacts with extraordinary people and interactions with students. “I have adopted the belief that all children can be successful in big ways or small,” he said, “and I constantly work to help them discover new ways to be proud of themselves.” Mr. Campbell added, “I find that even after almost 16 years of teaching every day holds a new adventure. My energy and drive comes from my students. Their energy and interest motivates me to learn with them, listen to them and help them become successful members of society in whatever way they can.” At SLMS, Mr. Campbell serves on the school’s Balanced Assessment Team, School Improvement Team and Technology Team and is facilitator for the school’s Site-Based Team. He received the Chamber of Commerce Excellence In Teaching Award in 2009 and has been nominated for Teacher of the Year in 2009, 2011 and 2013. His middle-school students have also won numerous awards for broadcasting and television production at both the regional and national level. Mr. Campbell earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from William Jewell College and his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction for secondary education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. |
2013 R-7 Teacher of the Year
 |
Brian CampbellR-7 School District 2013 Teacher of the Year |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 Excellence in Teaching WinnersRecognized teachers are (front row, from left) Jessi Cox, Kay Rader, Melissa Searls, Dr. Sarah Graff, Laura Turner, Kathy Giangreco, Carla Thomas, (back row, from left) Deborah Parker, Stacy Collins, Peggy Hinzman, Stacey Bryant, Deanna Soukup, Ricky Boedeker, Michael Walker, Brian Campbell, Barbara Noble and Dr. Gail Morton. Tracy Bertoncin is not pictured. |
