Do you know a Shawnee Mission teacher who should be recognized as the best in the state?
Nominate a Shawnee Mission educator for Shawnee Mission teacher of the year by September 7, 2023.
Click here for the nomination form in English y en Español.
Each school in the Shawnee Mission School District is encouraged to nominate a teacher for Shawnee Mission teacher of the year. The district is able to nominate one elementary and secondary candidate for the Kansas Teacher of the Year program.
Shawnee Mission usually receives hundreds of nominations for teacher of the year annually, Wraye Royle, nominee for the 2023 program and Indian Hills math teacher, noted.
“Shawnee Mission has exceptional teachers and some of the best in the state of Kansas,” Royle added. “We encourage students, teachers, parents, and community members to nominate deserving teachers in the Shawnee Mission School District.”
To be eligible for SMSD Teacher of the Year, a teacher must meet the following criteria:
· Completed at least 3 years in the SMSD
· Completed at least 5 years in the profession
· Currently serve as a teacher (must have a roster of students)
This year, Michelle Tapko, sixth grade teacher, was named a finalist in the Kansas Teacher of the Year program. Sarah Starforth, a special education teacher at Arrowhead, was a semifinalist.
The Kansas Teacher of the Year program recognizes excellent teachers across the state. The Kansas Teacher of the Year advances to the National Teacher of the Year program. Shawnee Mission will also take time this spring to honor a Teacher of the Year for every Shawnee Mission school community.