The St. Joseph School District Foundation announced this year’s “…of the Year” awards to area educators Thursday during its annual Tribute to Teachers and Staff event.

Awards were given out for Teacher of the Year, Support Staff of the Year, Innovator of the Year and Volunteer of the Year at a reception Thursday night in the Fulkerson Center at Missouri Western State University.

Bender’s Home Care Teacher of the Year

Stacia Studer, Eighth Grade Communication Arts, Bode Middle School

 

Stacia Studer has been a teacher for fourteen years, all but one of them at Bode Middle School. The other year was spent as an instructional coach at Truman Middle School. Studer is a graduate of Lafayette High School, Missouri Western State University and William Woods University. She is currently working on her specialist degree from Arkansas State University.

 

“This award is not about me,” said Studer. “This award is about the mentors that my instructional leaders placed around me to grow and challenge me as an educator. This award is about my students; each one of them has shaped the educator I am today. My principal, Roberta Dias, is an amazing leader, and she places students in my classroom that I forever hold in my heart.”

 

“Stacia Studer is one of a kind, a contagious positive spirt, a passionate learner, teacher, mentor and leader,” said Bode Principal Roberta Dias. “Students crave her reflective thinking, her passion for learning and her compassion for others. In the classroom, Stacia is the ultimate example, modeling her thinking about a piece of rich text with students, sharing her own examples of writing, even poems, and continually encouraging students to become great readers and writers.

 

Hy-Vee Foods Support Person of the Year

Mary Caw, Nutrition Services Manager, Colgan Alternative Resource Center

 

Mary Caw has been the Nutrition Services Manager at the Colgan Center for thirteen years. Dr. Colleen Becker, the counselor at Colgan, who nominated Caw describes her as a “hidden treasure” and a “caped crusader.” Many days, Caw actually wears cape and super hero outfit.

 

“The students love her and interact with her on a daily basis,” said Becker in her nomination. “Even at their most difficult times, our caped crusader can get a student to settle down, or open up and talk. She knows every student in the building by name, and knows something about them, like the kind of music they like, or games they like to play, or how they are doing in a certain class. She is always positive with the students and staff and encourages them to do their best!

 

The school nurse Bev Brian describes her as, “the heart of our building. The kids trust her and she is an outspoken advocate of all the kids who attend here. She always knows all the kids by name and the needs of each child. She always attempts to make whatever she does better. She gives encouragement to everyone, she is an awesome sounding board, she is creative with her meals and she knows the likes and dislikes of all the kids. She is accommodating and thoughtful. She is sympathetic and empathetic. She is always here and never calls in sick. She is a stabilizing force for each person in this building.”

 

Susanne and Walter Meierhoffer, Jr. Memorial Innovator of the Year

Jennifer Halter, Library Facilitator, Hyde Elementary School

 

Jennifer Halter has worked for the St. Joseph School District libraries since 1998. She has worked at Hall Elementary, Benton High School and Hyde Elementary. She was the district Library Facility Coordinator for four years from 2005 to 2009. She has been the Hyde Library Media Specialist since 2013.

 

“I first met Jennifer Halter when I was the principal at Hall,” said Jeaneen Boyer, Hyde Principal. “She was just an absolutely outstanding parent who was very supportive of the school. She took over as the librarian at hall, and she was honored by the district as an outstanding librarian; she went on from there to be the district’s Library Coordinator.”

 

Halter’s innovative project is the National Park Service Centennial Learning Journey. She created a “Flat Stanley” who traveled to all the National Parks. When he arrived, the rangers sent back information, contacts and materials to be shared with all the students at Hyde. 2016 is the one hundredth anniversary of the U.S. National Park Service.

Halter and her family have always been interested in the national parks and she and her children have been part of the junior ranger program. Her daughter is now a park ranger, and offered advice and suggestions in getting the centennial project started. Halter began the project with a third grade class, but soon all of her students were asking about it, so she incorporated it into her theme for the year.

“It has been a yearlong project that the students have loved,” said Boyer. “They have learned so much about the national parks and the heritage of the United States.”
American Family Insurance Volunteer of the Year

Leslie Lotspeich, Volunteer, Pershing Elementary

Leslie Lotspeich has volunteered at Pershing Elementary for eight years, working in a variety of capacities. She is an officer in the school’s PTA as well as the volunteer coordinator, and she helps out daily throughout the school as needed. She has helped out in the office, nurse’s office, library, book fair, cafeteria and the classroom.

“Her involvement also illustrates the pride she has for our school and her passion for making our school the very best that it can be,” said Principal Tara Wells in her nomination form. “Due to her continuous presence at school, she is often perceived as one of our full-time staff. This allows her to continuously meet and interact with other parents, new and existing. She has a keen eye for recognizing and matching our school needs with the abilities and desires of those that indicate interest in becoming involved in our school… Leslie has worked relentlessly with both entities to plug individuals in to many various school events. All staff at Pershing Elementary recognize the value she adds to our school and the impact that she has on our school.”

This year Lotspeich helped integrate two brand new school business partners, St. Peter Lutheran and St. John’s Episcopal Charismatic Church. As a result, several individuals from both churches have become active volunteers at the school.

Staff members comment that she has helped them get started in new positions, that she is a regular and passionate school supporter, and that they have witnessed her helping out “under the radar” in a variety of ways.

“She gives her time without ever wanting to be recognized,” said Leighanne Hihath, the school nurse. “She truly just wants to make a difference in the lives of kids.”