Erin Grist, 2023 Recipient: During the pandemic she organized a consistent process for her grade level team and offered ideas that were fun and challenging to engage students beyond just busy work. When only 45 minutes a week of google meets was expected, this teacher focused her time on students who were behind in their skills by holding daily reading groups and individual sessions. She even invited another grade level class to her meet-ups when the teacher of this class was on leave.

Those that she has mentored have been well prepared and continue to seek her leadership and guidance. Last summer she opened her home to new teachers to review the first six weeks of work, helping them anticipate what to expect, and what they needed to get started, and even scheduled planning sessions for them during the first part of the school year. When she sees a teacher struggling with a challenging student, she offers her personal time after school to help with techniques and strategies that may be helpful.

When one of the families in our district experienced a house fire, she immediately donated clothes and toys to help make the transition easier. She also keeps an eye out for students who are homeless and in great need. This teacher attends sporting events and dance recitals in support of her students past and present and volunteers her time every year to participate in the Road to Kindergarten. She dresses up and reads to the incoming kindergarteners,to inspire their love of reading and feel less anxious about going to kindergarten.