Educators Recognition

Monday, Oct. 15, 2007

A number of the state's foremost school leaders joined together to celebrate outstanding teachers, school boards and school administrators at the Educators' Recognition event on Saturday in the Scheman Building at Iowa State University. The change agents discussed issues in education at the event, hosted by the ISU College of Human Sciences.

The 2007 state educators of the year, pictured above, in front, from left: Nancy Ferdig, Iowa Assistant Secondary Principal of the Year, Sioux City North Middle School; Cheryl Achterberg, Human Sciences Dean, Iowa State University; Kathleen Reyner, Elementary Principal of the Year, Viola Gibson Elementary, Cedar Rapids. Back: Tom Wieseler, Board President, Mount Vernon Community Schools, T.E. Davidson Award of Excellence; Kathryn Schladweiler, Central Office Administrator of the Year, Mason City Community Schools; Jeff Schwiebert, Superintendent, Mount Vernon Community Schools, T.E. Davidson Award of Excellence; Glenn Pelecky, (2008) Iowa Superintendent of the Year, Chief Administrator, Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency; Steve Haberman, Middle Level Principal of the Year, Clarion-Goldfield Schools.

Jan Keese, a third grade teacher at Crocker Elementary in Ankeny, is the 2007 Iowa Teacher of the Year. Keese has demonstrated a passion for literacy by delivering professional development in balanced literacy and reading strategies to teachers in her own district, and schools in Iowa, Wisconsin and California. She has served the Iowa Reading Association as both president and state coordinator, connecting the state organization to the international arm of the organization. Keese has worked as a teacher in Princeton, Mo. as well as in Iowa schools that include Ar-We-Va, Manning, and Ankeny. Over the past 34 years, she has taught students in four different elementary grade levels as well as Title 1 reading and at-risk students in grades seven through 12. After serving in Ankenys curriculum office for five years, her love for working directly with children led her back to the classroom. The state Teacher of the Year award is administered by the Iowa Department of Education.

The Mount Vernon Community School Board received the 2007 T.E. Davidson Award of Excellence for outstanding board leadership, an honor bestowed annually by the Iowa Association of School Boards. Members of the board include Tom Wieseler, president, and Dean Borg, John Cochrane, Janet Griffith, Paul Morf, Ann Stoner and Robert Penn. The districts superintendent is Jeff Schwiebert. The boards accomplishments include increasing high school graduation requirements in math and science to match the expectations of the regents schools; adopting an award-winning program to enable special needs students to adjust to life after high school; adding a school interventionist at the elementary level to decrease the number of students who will need special education labeling; dedicating resources in staff development for teachers; and using a teacher evaluation process that embraces the Iowa Teaching Standards.

Kathleen Reyner, principal at Viola Gibson Elementary in Cedar Rapids, is the 2007 Elementary Principal of the Year. Reyers contributions to the school community include advancements in the areas of technology, brain development and continuous improvement. She has served as the principal at Viola Giblson since 2002. She began her career as a teacher at All Saints School in Cedar Rapids.

Steve Haberman, principal at Clarion-Goldfield, is the 2007 Middle Level Principal of the Year. He has served as principal at the middle school since 1999. He is recognized for starting up the districts character education program in his building; the program has since grown district-wide. Haberman champions new teaching and learning strategies by promoting professional development programming. His first job as an educator was teaching grades six through eight at Hampton-Dumont Middle School.

Jerry Arganbright, principal at Iowa City West High, is the 2007 Secondary Principal of the Year. He is acknowledged for promoting a vision for all learners that includes offering numerous advanced placement courses and the Guided Achievement Program to support student learning in literacy. Arganbright joined the staff at West in 1984, after moving from Nebraska where he served as high school principal at schools in Arlington and Dodge. He began his career as a history teacher in Ralston, Neb.

Glenn Pelecky, chief administrator at Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency since 1988, is the 2008 Iowa Superintendent of the Year. He has fostered staff professional development and leadership development for Iowa superintendents as well as continuous improvement of student learning. Pelecky previously served as superintendent at Raymond Central Schools and Oxford Schools, both in Nebraska. He also served as a student personnel team leader and student personnel community counselor with the Omaha (Neb.) Public Schools. His career began as a health and physical education teacher, also in Omaha.

Kathryn Schladweiler, director of instructional programs at Mason City Community School District, is the 2007 Central Office Administrator of the Year. Schladweiler provides educational leadership as the interim executive director for the Iowa Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She also serves on the Leadership Council for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Schladwiler began her career as a secondary English teacher. She then served as a language arts consultant with the South Central Education District, a 13-district consortium in Minnesota, before moving to Mason City.

Nancy Ferdig, assistant principal at Sioux City North Middle School, is the 2007 Iowa Assistant Secondary Principal of the Year. As the principal who oversees the special education programs, Ferdig is credited with improving the educational programs for several groups of students while simultaneously constructing models that other schools in the district now follow. Before joining the staff at Sioux City Schools, she work with the Woodbury Central School District for 22 years, including three years as middle school principal. She began her career as a high school English teacher.

The state school principals, superintendents and central administrator of the year are selected by the School Administrators of Iowa.

Other education officials in attendance were: George Maurer, executive director, Iowa Board of Educational Examiners; Dan Smith, executive director, School Administrators of Iowa; Ron Rice, executive director, Iowa Association of School Boards; Linda Nelson, president, Iowa State Education Association; State Sen. Herman Quirmbach (Ames); State Rep. Lisa Heddens (Ames); David Whaley, associate dean for teacher education, Iowa State University; Cheryl Achterberg, dean, College of Human Sciences, Iowa State University; Pat Carlson , associate professor of curriculum and instruction, Iowa State University.