District revisits Teacher of the Year plans
The Shawano School District tried to resurrect its Teacher of the Year award like a phoenix from the ashes last year, only to have another load of ashes in the form of the coronavirus derail those plans.
Now, school officials are looking to try again.
The Shawano School Board had voted in February 2020 to revive the program, which stopped after grant money ran out in 2018 — leaving 2019 to be the first year in recent memory that the district hadn’t named an outstanding teacher. At the time, the board approved having an award for one outstanding teacher in each of the four schools, along with a specialty teacher to make five total awards.
The board planned to revisit what kind of award to give, such as a cash honor to be donated to a nonprofit or an additional personal day off during the year.
That discussion never materialized, as the coronavirus pandemic caused schools to close; everyone’s attention turned to how to keep education going at a time when it was deemed hazardous to anyone’s health to be in close proximity to other people.
The district’s executive committee met Jan. 6 to look at what needs to be done to make the program viable again.
“We wanted to bring this back to the board as (the district’s) leadership (team) to say: ‘Is this something the board wants to try and secure funding so we can continue to move forward with a Teacher of the Year award?’” said Randi Anderson, district superintendent.
Board president Tyler Schmidt said the program could happen as long as there was funding available. He noted that the district’s original plan for five awards — plus a sixth award recommended by administrators this year for paraprofessionals — would be expensive if the board decided to give cash awards.
“I think there are outlets out there to assist,” Schmidt said. “It’s just a matter of tapping the right outlets.”
Board member Chuck Dallas believes there are charities and organizations that would love to have the recognition that an award would entail.
“Some of these organizations on the local would love to have the recognition. Some do not,” Dallas said. “Does it become an option for those who want recognition that they can be recognized?”
Dallas also expressed concern that having too many awards could result in a prestigious honor being “watered down.”
“It shouldn’t be like, ‘Well, everyone plays. So here’s a trophy,’” Dallas said.
Schmidt said he understood, but noted that previously, when one teacher was chosen for the award, it usually turned out to be a high school teacher, even though teachers at lower grade levels make a difference in students’ education, too.
“People don’t remember their elementary (teachers) or their younger ones,” Schmidt said. “There have been some years where elementary teachers have received them, as well.”
Board member Michael Sleeper agreed with Dallas that there shouldn’t be too many awards handed out.
“It needs to be meaningful, not something you pass around until everybody has it,” Sleeper said. “Is one out of all four schools enough? Maybe an elementary (award) and a middle school/high school (award)?”
Dallas also suggested that the Teacher of the Year award should be given out in December at the end of the calendar year, rather than during high school graduation, as had been done before. He said this change might help when it comes to raising funds, as most foundations and charities have already established their budgets for 2021.
Sleeper also advocated for having the award at a different time of year.
“Just because it’s always been part of graduation doesn’t mean it has to be,” Sleeper said.
Anderson plans to get more input from her administrators and present a revised proposal to the full board at a later date.