Area Educators Honored for Leadership, Innovation
NJPA honors Region 5 educators for their commitment to excellence
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Forty-nine educators from Region 5 schools were honored by National Joint Powers Alliance® (NJPA) on Wednesday night at its fifth-annual Educators of Excellence Awards Banquet at Grand View Lodge near Brainerd.
Nominated by their respective schools for their commitment to excellence, these educators demonstrate best practices, leadership, and innovation in education, which leads to increased student success.
“It is an honor to celebrate the hard work and dedication of educators throughout our area schools,” says NJPA Leader of Education Solutions Kassidy Rice. “Tonight's event featured individuals who were nominated by their colleagues for recognition, which speaks volumes. We are thankful for their commitment to their students, schools, and communities.”
NJPA honored Teachers of Excellence, plus celebrated four additional awards: Leader of Excellence, Paraprofessional of Excellence, Coach of Excellence, and Team of Excellence. Honorees are from school districts within Region 5, an area served by NJPA, including Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties.
Leader of Educational Excellence
Josh Smith, Pillager Elementary School Principal
Paraprofessional of Educational Excellence
Barb Waldock, Mid-State Education District
Coach of Educational Excellence
Bruce Fuhrman, Staples-Motley School District (head coach - cross country & girls track, assistant coach - boys basketball)
Team of Educational Excellence
Crosby-Ironton Grades 7-12 English Language Arts teachers - Katherine Thoennes, Jackie Larson, Andrea Gaffney, and Brian Gaffney
2018 TEACHERS OF EXCELLENCE
| TEACHER | SCHOOL |
| Angie Hurtig | Bertha-Hewitt School |
| Keith Peterson | Brainerd High School |
| Clayton Lang | Cuyuna Range Elementary School |
| Patricia Durham | Crosslake Community School |
| Matthew Parker | Freshwater Education District |
| Elaine Sperl | Little Falls Community Schools, Early Childhood Programs |
| Angie Bellig | Little Falls Lindbergh Elementary School |
| Laurie Schoeck | Little Falls Community Middle School |
| Randy Tabatt | Little Falls Community High School |
| Wendy DeCann | Little Falls Lincoln Elementary |
| Brianna Sanoski | Little Falls Dr. S.G. Knight Elementary |
| Ryan Bothun | Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Secondary School |
| Brad Schultz | Menahga Middle School |
| Jennifer Berg | Menahga High School |
| Kerry White | Menahga Elementary |
| Nancy Przybilla | Mid-State Education District |
| DesiRae Cary | Mid-State STEPS Program |
| Renae Barnaby | Pequot Lakes Eagle View Elementary |
| Angie Klein | Pequot Lakes High School |
| Jana Lueck | Pequot Lakes Middle School |
| MaryJo Schaefer | Pierz Pioneer Elementary |
| Patsy Athman | Pierz Healy High School |
| Roxanne Norlin | Pillager Elementary School |
| Mike Parrish | Pillager Middle School |
| Ann Hutchison | Pillager High School |
| Nancy Meier | Pine River-Backus Elementary School |
| Melanie Lindquist | Pine River - Backus High School |
| Chad Shelstad | Royalton Elementary School |
| Lindsey Gruber | Royalton High School/Middle School |
| Janet Mattson | Sebeka School District |
| Catherine Cyr | Staples-Motley High School |
| Allison Vangsness | Motley-Staples Middle School |
| Jolene Elfstrum | Staples-Motley Elementary |
| Tracy Hannah | Swanville Elementary |
| Liza Hasse | Swanville High School |
| Mary Jo Peterson | Upsala Elementary |
| Haylee Vershure | Upsala High School |
| Lisa Paulson | Verndale Elementary |
| Michael Ortmann | Wadena-Deer Creek - Grades 5-12 |
| Mary Ellenson | Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary |
| Paul Raddatz | Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Middle School/High School |
| Shannon Rivard | Walker Hackensack Akeley Elementary |
Sourcewell (formerly National Joint Powers Alliance) is a self-supporting government organization, partnering with education, government, and nonprofits to boost student and community success. Created in 1978 as one of Minnesota's nine service cooperatives, we offer training and shared services to our central-Minnesota members. Throughout North America, we offer a cooperative purchasing program with over 200 awarded vendors on contract. Sourcewell is driven by service and the ability to strategically reinvest in member communities.