Teacher Appreciation Week runs Monday, May 6 to Friday, May 10. Teachers play a critical role in educating and shaping our children into the future leaders of our country. These kind, patient, hard-working, dedicated, and understanding professionals help mold our children and guide them in positive directions. We entrust our children with teachers during the school year and they play a pivotal role in their lives daily.
We are showing appreciation for our elementary teachers!
Bloom Elementary School
Jeffrey Steurer
"I love the days when we have music. I really like singing and playing instruments. He makes music so much fun!"
-submitted by Emmie Kenrick
Carlson Elementary School
Eppy Adami-Bunyard
"I want to thank you for all your patience with both of my boys. Your hard work never goes unnoticed. We love you."
-submitted by Kimberly Villegas
"Ms. Eppy at Carlson was hands down the most supportive and best teacher for my daughter! We are so sad she is retiring after this year as her and my daughter still do their routine morning hug. Ms. Eppy goes above and beyond for her students, and I am forever grateful for the impact she made on my student and the lives of other students!"
-submitted by Destiny Knight
Cherry Valley Elementary School
Janet Blatchford
"Mrs. Blatchford is kind, caring, and compassionate. She truly cares about her students and it is evidenced in the way she interacts with them, reaches out to families, and supports them. Mrs. Blatchford also pushes her students to excel and sets high, but attainable standards/expectations for them. My daughter has grown so much since the start of the school year. She loves Mrs. Blatchford and always comes home talking about the fun, exciting things they do in class and the conversations that they have. Her favorite thing is that Mrs. Blatchford takes the time to listen to the kids' stories/experiences. Mrs. Blatchford took the time to form positive relationships with her students and they want to do well and make her proud. Thank you Mrs. Blatchford, for helping my daughter shine!"
-submitted by Emilie Godlewski
Sophia Brunner
"She is a very great teacher and helped my son a lot with having respect with himself and others."
-submitted by Denieva Brown
Andrea Cooper
"For showing me the ropes when I was subbing next door & answering any questions I had. Also for being a great example while I was your para and giving me ideas to use as a teacher! Your students are very lucky to have you."
-submitted by Stephanie Bacino
Lisa Jeske
"Our youngest daughter, Josie, has always loved Cherry Valley, but I don't know that she's been fully herself in that space until this year. She loves being in Ms. Jeske's classroom, loves learning, and she LOVES school! I attribute that to her teacher and am so grateful for her incredible work."
-submitted by Matt Guevara
Kellie Kim
"She has been amazing with my son. One of the very best teachers we have had! Love and appreciate her so much!"
-submitted by Sara Pirrello
Elizabeth Klarner
"She is the best teacher. She is kind and patient. She takes time to listen to the children's needs. I'm so blessed to have her for my son's teacher."
-submitted by Laurie Hayes
Froberg Elementary School
David Bartel
"Thank you Mr. Bartel for being a terrific music teacher! We appreciate the musical foundation that you build with your students."
-submitted by Ashley Smith
Linda Gorman
"Thank you Ms. Gorman for being a fabulous art teacher! My daughter enjoys the experience of art that you provide in your class."
-submitted by Ashley Smith
Troy Kershner
"Thank you Mr. Kershner for being a great PE teacher! My daughter enjoys your gym class as well as your recent volleyball experience."
-submitted by Ashley Smith
Marcus Price
"Thank you Mr. Price for being an amazing educator. Your dedication and kindness have left a lasting impact on my family!"
-submitted by Ashley Smith
"He is one of the best 5th grade teachers. He is nice, smart, and loving. He is always nice to girls and boys in an equal way."
-submitted by Amber Hills
April Wilson
"Naomi has learned so much in 1st grade. She was so scared at the start of the school year of not being smart enough, the days being longer, but Mrs. Wilson has helped her excel at the curriculum! Naomi is reading with such ease it really surprises us. Almost everyday she comes home with facts about penguins or space I did not even know! We cannot thank her enough for a wonderful 1st grade year for Naomi."
-submitted by Katze Roman
Hillman Elementary School
Nicole Adams
"I would like to thank Mrs. Adams for recognizing my son’s full potential & pushing him to do his best daily!! I appreciate her keeping me involved in his education. This has allowed us to work with him as a team to help him improve in the areas needed. Thank you again Mrs. Adams!!"
-submitted by Jordan Rodriguez
Victoria Chamorro
"Ms. Chamorro was my 4th grade teacher. I am now a freshman in college at Rockford University pursuing to become an Elementary School Teacher, which I was inspired by Ms. Chamorro. She still manages to stay in contact with me and gives me nothing but the best advice to stay motivated and pursue my education! She always managed to put a smile on her students face & helped us when the help was needed. She still rocks!"
-submitted by Yareli Salazar-Carrillo
Jamie Doubek
"Thank you Mrs.Doubek for making Ryan’s first year of school so amazing. ❤️ We will never forget the experience he had as a first time student. Thank you!."
-submitted by Heather Tindle
"I am so proud to say that Mrs. Doubek is my son’s first teacher. My son, Easton, started kindergarten this year and I’m almost positive that I was way more nervous than he was. On his very first day I dropped him off and fully expected to be super anxious all day long. Instead, I was given the gift of peace of mind as Mrs. Doubek sent all of the parents/guardians constant updates with pictures and videos. In that moment I realized how much she cared and that I could trust her. That our children were just as precious to her as they are to us as parents.
One of my favorite things about her is that she always goes out of her way to engage the parents. I firmly believe that in order for a student to be successful that it requires active involvement from the family and Mrs. Doubek puts so much effort into this concept. In fact, one of the many things she does is create videos for parents to show us exactly how she taught a lesson that day so that we have the tools necessary for support at home.
Mrs. Doubek’s ability to inspire young minds is truly commendable. My belief is that this ability is not something that can be taught or even “faked” along the way, no, instead it must come from a true passion for teaching that is deep down inside of someone.
Mrs. Doubek has really set the bar high and is the standard of what a quality teacher should be, through and through. We want her to know how grateful we are for her dedication and all of the little things she does. It’s teachers like Mrs. Doubek that change the world.
Mrs. Doubek, thank you for being my child’s first teacher!"
-submitted by Kelley Woodsmall
Heather Hecker
"My daughter, Taylor, is currently in her 2nd grade era at Hillman Elementary and has the privilege of being in Ms. Hecker’s class this year.
It has been comforting to know that Taylor is in good hands when she is with Ms. Hecker and that I can trust her to nurture my child’s mind. Her commitment to each students individual needs and unwavering support has not gone unnoticed. At the beginning of the year she noticed my daughter was performing at a higher grade level so she pushed hard to make sure she had the tools and resources to challenge her academically. It is clear that her persistence and continued encouragement has made a significant difference in my daughter’s 2nd grade journey.
Ms. Hecker has gone above and beyond to ensure that my daughter receives a quality education and that my daughter and I, both, feel valued and supported in her classroom.
Ms. Hecker, thank you for being an exceptional teacher and making a difference in the lives of your students!"
-submitted by Kelley Woodsmall
Johnson Elementary School
Scott Clark
"Go Mr. Clark #1!"
-submitted by Mary Walton
Lathrop Elementary School
Donene Sand
"She is the best! Goes above and beyond to make sure my son is safe. My son loves her. She gives updates on everything that is going on in class."
-submitted by Liliana Mancha
Riverdahl Elementary School
Stacy Adams
"Miss Stacy goes above & beyond for my son. She helps him in any way to get the job done! She knows how sensitive he can be, and she knows just how to deal with this type of thing. She really knows her stuff!"
-submitted by Kira Johnson
Taylor Addotta
"I want to thank Ms. Addotta for all the coloring sheets that I really liked and for showing us how to do yoga."
-Submitted by Gracelynn Keaster
Peggy Chamorro
"When I was in second grade, she taught me so many things. She showed me so many new words! She helped me to read a lot of books and she was always nice to me. Mrs. Chamorro always made me work hard and pushed me to do better. We didn't just learn words, we made a bird feeder out of stuff from nature for Earth day. She also taught me about the moon."
-submitted by Jesus Cornejo
Jaime Erdmann
"I want to thank Mrs. Erdmann for always protecting us and letting us play a lot of games."
-submitted by Gracelynn Keaster
Hannah Lake
"Ms. Lake helped me to add and subtract. When we did math, we had fun. We used to learn with Legos. I loved when she read us books. She is a really nice teacher."
-submitted by Timothy Herrera
Aurora Macek
"Thank you Ms. Macek for being nice and for always being so kind to me. I loved making our dinosaurs because it was a lot of fun. I love painting and drawing in your class. You make me want to come to art."
-submitted by Kymberlly Ramirez
Trish McGinley
"I want to thank Ms. McGinley because she is fun. She lets us play lots of games. We get to ride little scooters and it's fun. Ms. McGinley makes me laugh."
-submitted by Emilio Ramirez
Maureen McLaughlin
"Ms. McLaughlin takes her time to make sure my son understands what they are learning. She actually acknowledges his questions and concerns. She’s the best teacher we have ever encountered at RiverDahl. Ms. McLaughlin is also very good at communication with the students and making sure they feel safe."
-submitted by Tiara Smith
Heidi Petrow
"Mrs. Petrow is always kind and gives us good treats. She teaches us how to play new games. I know that she loves all of us."
-submitted by Luis Pena
"I want to thank Mrs. Petrow because she taught me division and multiplication. She helps me to become a better reader. She is always kind to me and she makes learning fun!"
-submitted by Moise Mashendwa
Kayla Stockton
"Thank you, Mrs. Stockton! You used to always comfort me when I was sad and make me feel happy. You taught me a lot of stuff like subtraction and that was really hard for me. I remember when I stayed for inside recess with you and we had crackers and I loved that. When I did a test and it was hard for me, she helped me to understand the question, encouraged me and reminded me to do my best. You are always so nice."
-submitted by Marta Kashindi
"I want to thank her because she taught me addition and subtraction. She made me a better reader. I love that she was nice and kind. She always taught me a lot."
-submitted by Moise Mashendwa
Jennifer Thomas
"Thank you Mrs. Thomas for doing fun stuff with us. You teach us how to add and subtract. I like to have group time with you, because we get to read books."
-submitted by Saraphin Sango
Jacki Trapp
"I want to thank Mrs. Trapp because she makes me happy. She helps me to sound out words and that makes me a better reader. She teaches me to be a better person. When I make mistakes, she says mistakes happen. She also says that when we make a bad choice, the first time is a mistake, but if you keep doing it, it's a choice. It shows you to listen and think about choices. She lets us play games that teach us reading and math. She shows us new math things like 12 x 3 and lots of ways to solve it."
-submitted by Jesus Cornejo
"I want to thank my teacher Mrs. Trapp because when both of my grandparents passed away, she would check on me time from time to see if I am okay. I've had a hard year so far and my teacher knows how to make it better. I'm very thankful for an awesome teacher like Mrs. Trapp."
-submitted by Kyandra Horst
Rolling Green Elementary School
Angelica Broege
"I want to thank all Special Ed and Deaf & Hard of Hearing teachers. These teachers are extra special. I am thankful for Mrs. Broege. She has been my son's D&HH teacher for 3 years now. My son has grown so much these past years. Not only academically, but also as a kid who is now preparing for Middle School. Learning sign language and everything that comes after is so hard but amazing as well. It takes a heart to be a D&HH teacher ❤️. There has to be a lot of patience, understanding, communication, and work. I just wanted to thank you Mrs.Broege ❤️❤️ . My son, along with his peers have been going on field trips, this is helping them be more independent and involved when out. I really love this. Thanks Mrs. Broege for making this possible too."
-submitted by Cristina Delgado
Carris Fischer
"Ms. Fischer has been amazing to Finley. She has given her so much confidence in both math and reading. We love that she encourages kindness and empathy in the classroom. When we went on a recent field trip, the staff was so impressed with how respectful and the whole class was. It just goes to show how great she is as a teacher."
-submitted by Cassandra Centeno
Amal Hindl
"I can't thank Ms. Hindl enough for all the great work."
-submitted by Mohammed El Kadi
Andrea Korwin
"Ms. Korwin is an amazing teacher. She's great with my son. She's always so helpful. Always laughing at parent teacher conferences. Just all round amazing teacher."
-submitted by Melisza Claeyssen
Mary Laubenstein
"I want to thank her for being an amazing teacher and dealing with my daughter is not easy, so I highly appreciate her!"
-submitted by Kira Johnson
Spring Creek Elementary School
Destiny Blackburn
"I want to thank Mrs. Blackburn because she showed me a lot of love and happiness. When I was sad or crying, Mrs. Blackburn always hugged me. When I made a mistake, she always gave me a chance to fix it. Mrs. Blackburn helped me to be honest and brave and positive to do my work. That is how I got better at math and reading. I am thankful that she was at Riverdahl, because she came here to make kids happy and smart. I'm doing great in third grade, because she helped me. I miss her very much."
-submitted by Matias Diego
Paula Larson
"Our daughter, Ramsey, had to stay home sick on Valentine’s Day. She ended up wearing her Valentine’s Day outfit to the doctor’s office and felt sad to miss out on her class party. Later that day, Ms. Larson showed up at our house with all of Ramsey’s Valentine cards and treats. This absolutely made her day! Thank you Ms. Larson for thinking of her and going above and beyond to make her smile!"
-submitted by Lisa Cuddy
"Mrs. Larson does ABOVE and BEYOND! She has been an amazing teacher to my kindergartner. When my daughter was having a tough time not making friends, she made arrangements with seats and it helped tremendously. She’s very passionate about being a teacher. She loves what she does!"
-submitted by Sarina Gary
Katherine Milbourn
"Mrs. Milbourn has really helped my daughter come out of her shell through challenging and supporting her. My daughter never used to volunteer answers, ask questions, or go up to the board to work on a problem. Not only does she do these things now, but she has grown more confident, made friends, and her love for learning and reading has increased this year thanks to Mrs. Milbourn. Rewards, encouragement, music, and clear explanations in the classroom have all been very helpful!"
-submitted by Julie Parks
Jason Nash
"I would like to thank Mr. Nash for his commitment to the success of my student! He has been patient, kind, stern, and everything in between when it comes to her academic success as well as athletics. I am grateful for support and academic challenges he has given her, and honored that he is not only her teacher, but now apart of our Village! Thank you Mr. Nash for everything you've done."
-submitted by Amber Lee-Black
"Very good teacher. He takes the time to teach and explain very well. He has the patience, and he teaches very well."
-submitted by Marlen Rebolledo
Jessica Owens
"It's heartwarming to not only see but get the chance to acknowledge the dedication and compassion of a teacher who goes above and beyond for her students. That is exactly how I would describe Mrs. Owens. She has found a way to take her passion for teaching elementary age kids and turn her classroom into a second family for our kiddos. She somehow finds a unique way to connect with our kids minds and turn learning anything into something fun and exciting for them, and in a way that they can understand, comprehend, and most importantly, remember. From Paul Bunyan's pancakes, to Greek toga parties, Hocus Pocus Halloween celebrations, and everything in between, she goes above and beyond in every way possible for our kids during the school day. Thank you to our incredible 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Owens, for recognizing the individuality of each child and tailoring their learning experiences accordingly. Your efforts have not only fostered academic growth but have also cultivated empathy and kindness, essential qualities for creating a supportive classroom community. Your commitment to nurturing young minds and hearts doesn't go unnoticed, and it's truly inspiring. We are incredibly lucky to have you as part of our Spring Creek family, but more importantly, our students are lucky to call you their teacher. Keep shining bright!"
-submitted by Sharla Quesnel
"Our family has had the privilege of Mrs. Owens being our 2nd grade teacher and we cannot thank her enough! She has been so great in building the confidence, learning knowledge and fun in her classroom!"
-submitted by Kari White
Aaron Park
"He helped me focus and allowed me to excel in learning. I have him to thank because I got into the gifted academy."
-submitted by Sebastian Erb
Rachel Shippert
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude for time time and effort Mrs. Shippert has poured into my student! She has been an amazing mentor and coach. Mrs. Shippert started as my daughter's coach, but has since become a vital piece to her academic and athletic success. The amount of encouragement and support she provides and priceless. My daughter is better person and student-athlete because of the support of Mrs. Shippert."
-submitted by Amber Lee-Black
Taylor Thompson
"Ms. Thompson has helped my daughter develop and gain confidence over this last school year! She has encouraged her to keep doing her very best and allows her the space to be who she is as a person!"
-submitted by Kari White
Lisa Vail
"Mrs. Vail is the best. She adapts her lessons to each child to help them do their best. My son who is autistic is flourishing this year. He is super excited to go to school now. Mrs. Vail allows for autonomy of each child. She truly is the best we have seen."
-submitted by Georgina Janke
Washington Elementary School
Elena Lund
"Mrs. Lund was one of the first teachers to see potential in me. I had freshly immigrated from Mexico to the U.S my 3rd grade year and when I moved to Nelson, Mrs. Lund was my 4th grade teacher. She worked so hard with me so I could confidently speak English, read it , and teach it to others. Although I wasn’t the best behaved, she never gave up on me. Due to her never giving up on me and my dreams, I worked towards my early childhood diploma which I received and even graduated high school a year early. She was more than a teacher, she became one of the most important people in my life. Thank you Mrs. Lund."
-submitted by Alexia Sanchez
Kathleen Naill
"Mrs.Naill has been the best teacher to my son, Jordan. She truly cares about him and his academics. She helps him to learn in a way that suits his learning style. She has been so invested in him doing well, and Jordan enjoys her so much. He is excited to spend time with her and learn with her. I wish everyone could have the same dedication and passion she has for this line of work. It makes a huge difference in kids lives, especially those who need a little more help to learn."
-submitted by LaTasha Neal
West View Elementary
Angela Hulsey
"I would like to thank her because she goes above and beyond for her students. She never ever makes you feel Little and anyone that works with her seems to feel equal. She is truly the most amazing teacher I have ever seen at my kids school. She makes you laugh, She's thoughtful and everyone learns from her."
-submitted by Elizabeth Carlson
Welsh Elementary School
Angel Hampl
"I want to thank Mrs. Hampl for going above & beyond for her students, and for being a great person overall."
-submitted by Moysha Brown
Molly Schaer
"Great educator! Goes above & beyond to help the staff & students. I appreciate you more than you know it. ❤️"
-Moysha Brown
Caitlyn Seibert
"Thank you for always being so kind, always going above and behind for students and staff. Always here to help others and give the best feedback and support possible."
-Moysha Brown
Whitehead Elementary School
Holly Hunt
"For being there for my child when she needs it. Helping my child learn more than expected."
-submitted by Yolanda Valencia
Michelle Reece
"Mrs Reece has always seen the promise in both my children. She especially recognized a gift in my daughter's hunger for knowledge and the twinkle in her soul to learn and suggested we try for the gifted program. Where other teachers suggested my daughter may have developmental or emotional setbacks, Mrs. Reece suggested it was a special gift that needed proper attention. Her positive reinforcement gave my daughter courage and the acceptance one needs to feel comfortable to succeed. Mrs. Reece's genuineness, concern, and attention helped my daughter open up, grow, and blossom. She allowed my daughter to feel safe, seen, accepted, special, important, cared for, and appreciated. Mrs. Reece always has a smile and stops to say hello and catch up even years later. She stops at nothing to offer her assistance to help kids find their groove to fit in and be a part of something. I think it's a real treat to know her. She is one of a kind!"
-submitted by Angela Giacomazzo