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2024 Teacher of the Year Award winners

Teacher of the Year

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Grand Island Public Schools Foundation names Teacher of the Year winners

Press release

On August 12, the Grand Island Public Schools and Grand Island Public Schools Foundation celebrated the Welcome Back for all staff. During the Welcome Back ceremony, Grand Island Public Schools Foundation presented the Teacher of the Year awards.

In the spring of 2024, the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation asked for nominations from parents, students, and colleagues. They received a record-breaking 1,600 plus nomination forms for 442 staff members. The Foundation receives all the nominations and a volunteer committee composed of retired teachers and Board Members is convened to review the nominations. This is a rewarding and emotional job. The committee is honored to read all of them and is tasked with coming to a final selection. The Foundation also provides each nominee with copies of their nominations. This is a wonderful way for nominees to read about how they have touched the lives of students, staff, and administration throughout the year. 

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Nominees must be current teachers, principals, administrators, specialists, counselors, or support staff members (secretaries, custodians, para-educators, food service, etc.) in the Grand Island Public Schools. Six awards are given. Teacher and staff member recipients receive a plaque and a $500 cash award.  Administrators receive a plaque and $1,000 of extra budget authority for their building/administrative area. The Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by First National Bank of Omaha, which has partnered with the GIPS Foundation for 20 years to date. 

The following six people were named Teacher of the Year winners by the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation. 

2024 Teacher of the Year Winners
  • Tonia Schmall
    Tonia Schmall

    Elementary Teacher of the Year

  • Tyler Madison
    Tyler Madison

    Middle School Teacher of the Year

  • Jesse LaBrie
    Jesse LaBrie

    High School Teacher of the Year

  • Michelle Thorne
    Michelle Thorne

    Specialist of the Year

  • Michelle Enck
    Michelle Enck

    Staff Member of the Year

  • Nathaniel Balcom
    Nathaniel Balcom

    Administrator of the Year

Past Winners

2024

Tonia Schmall
Starr Elementary

Tyler Madison
Walnut Middle School

Jesse LaBrie
Academies of Grand Island Senior High

Michelle Thorne
Specialist from Wasmer Elementary School

Michelle Enck
Staff from CPI

Nathaniel Balcom
Administrator from Newell Elementary School

2023

Amy Anderson
Howard Elementary

Marla Rischling
All Middle Schools

Jessica Whitmire
Academies of Grand Island Senior High

Kristin Schultz
Specialist from Lincoln Elementary

Angel Rojas-Acevedo
Staff from West Lawn Elementary

Caitlin Jensen
Administrator from Engelman Elementary

2022

Asia Thoene
Newell Elementary School

Andrew Schneider
Barr Middle School

Christine Kier
Academies of Grand Island Senior High

Jessica Schroeder
Specialist from Stolley Park Elementary

Virgie Wheeler
Staff from Lincoln Elementary School

Opal Bentley
Administrator from Knickrehm Elementary

2021

All teachers, staff and administrators

2020

Sandra Meyer
Stolley Park Elementary School

Kathryn Zeller
Westridge Middle School

Brett Forsman
Career Pathways Adams Street

Jami Barrientos
Specialist from Walnut Middle School

Jaime Wattier
Staff from Kneale Administration Building

Amy Richards
Administrator from Early Learning Center

2019

Jason Weseman
Howard Elementary School

Jessa Yager
Barr Middle School

Tracy Jakubowski
Academies of Grand Island Senior High

Tammy Nance
Specialist from Starr Elementary School

Jodi Fegley
Staff from Engleman Elementary School

Lee Wolfe
Administrator from Shoemaker Elementary School

2018

Bianca Ayala
Howard Elementary School

Lori Coble
Walnut Middle School

Jeff Vyhlidal
Senior High School

Angie Runquist
Specialist from Skills Academy at Success

Pat Tatro
Staff from Wasmer Elementary School

Selena Wardyn
Administrator from Walnut Middle School

2017

Becky Waind
Stolley Park Elementary School

Ellie Petersen
Westridge Middle School

Laura McQuinn
Senior High School

Patti Bennett
Specialist from Senior High School

Jasmine Rios-Alvarado
Staff from Howard Elementary School

Jeanna Randall
Administrator from Jefferson Elementary School

2016

Dennis Korgel
Gates Elementary School

Ashley Hilger
Westridge Middle School

Jeff Tomlin
Senior High School

Kim McCain
Specialist from Engleman Elementary School

Sheri Ingebretsen
Staff from Westridge Middle School

Andrew Rinaldi
Administrator from Newell Elementary School

2015

Kevin Liess
Skills Academy Dodge Elementary School

Zachary Hawkins
Westridge Middle School

Laurie Clark
Success Academy

Camie See
Specialist from Knickrehm/Wasmer Elementary School

Marta Charlton
Staff from Lincoln Elementary School

Wayne Stelk
Human Resources Director, Kneale Administration Building

2014

Deb Glover
Howard Elementary School

Chuck DeWitt
Walnut Middle School

Paula Poppe
Senior High School

Penny Brown
Specialist from Gates Elementary School

Doug Henry
Staff from Senior High School

Betty Desaire
Administrator from Wasmer Elementary School

2013

Christi Rademacher
Newell Elementary School

Kay Lyons
Walnut Middle School

Judy Lorenzen
Senior High School

Amy Hanna
Specialist from Howard/Jefferson Elementary School

Andrew Cunningham
Staff from Engleman Elementary School

Renee Hunt
Administrator from Skills Academy

2012

April Patterson
Jefferson Elementary School

Benjamin Hanson
Westridge Middle School

Joe Wells
Senior High School

Tara Retzlaff
Specialist from CNSSP

Ray Chaves
Staff from Walnut Middle School

Doug Jensen
Administrator from Senior High School

2011

Kelly Usrey
Engleman Elementary School

Katy Kurz
Barr Middle School

Karen Kropp
Senior High School

Kirk Ramsey
Specialist from Barr Middle School

Birdie Lopez
Staff from Dodge Elementary School

Cindy Wells
Administrator Senior High School

2010

Ryan Hansen
Dodge Elementary School

Karen Hastings
Westridge Middle School

Cheri Preister
Senior High School

Kris McMullen
Specialist from Senior High School

Paul Galles
Staff from Jefferson Elementary School

Maureen Oman
Administrator from Engelman Elementary School

2009

Joan Brown
Engleman Elementary School

Jerome Dubas
Walnut Middle School

Doug Whitman
Senior High School

Jan Tell
Specialist from Dodge Elementary School

Robert Briseno
Staff from Walnut Middle School

Brad Wolfe
Administrator from Newell Elementary School

2008

Janet Vavricek
Jefferson Elementary School

Rhonda Riha
Walnut Middle School

Michella Honas
Senior High School

Larry Uhing
Specialist from Senior High School

Nubia Herreno
Staff from Wasmer Elementary School

Sue Burch
Administrator from Kneale Administration

2007

Colette Sorensen
Shoemaker Elementary School

Kelley Ward
Barr Middle School

Sara Collinson
Senior High School

Sherry Jones
Specialist from Engelman/Starr Elementary School

Laurel Cohn
Staff from Barr Middle School

Kerri Nazarenus
Administrator from Kneale Administration

2006

Diane Miller
Dodge Elementary School

Jackie Bigley
Barr Middle School

Vic Nelson
Senior High School

Marcella Bogan
Specialist from TLC Indra House

Marlene Pietzyk
Staff from Howard Elementary School

2005

Patty Brown
Wasmer Elementary School

Traci Rezac
Walnut Middle School

Joe Stecher
Senior High School

Sherry Nott
Specialist from Senior High School

2004

Jim Kordik
Senior High School

Dr. Stanley Urwiller
Retired Teacher of the Year

2003

Larry Maupin
Senior High School

Orv Qualsett
Retired Teacher of the Year

© 2024 Grand Island Public Schools Foundation
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