Four named 2007 state Teachers of the Year

From the Department of Public Instruction

The four teachers who will represent Wisconsin’s PK-12 teaching corps for the 2007-08 school year are:

• Elementary Teacher of the Year - Mary Tierney-Ley of Stevens Point is a 4th-grade teacher at Rosholt Elementary School.
• Middle/Junior High School Teacher of the Year - Beth Oswald of Milton teaches 7th- and 8th-grade world history at J.C. McKenna Middle School in the Evansville Community School District. (Update: In October, Oswald was named Wisconsin's representative to the national Teacher of the Year program.)
• High School Teacher of the Year - Thomas Karban of Marinette is the 11th- and 12th-grade technology education teacher at Oconto Falls High School.
• Special Services Teacher of the Year - Kathryn Kostelnik of Glendale was nominated as the library media specialist for North Junior High School in the Menomonee Falls School District. She currently works as a library media specialist at Menomonee Falls High School.

State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster said the four educators "are devoted to helping our students learn the 21st century skills they will need to be successful. These four individuals also reach out to families, involve their communities, and collaborate with other educators: characteristics that exemplify the thousands of quality educators teaching in our classrooms.”

Burmaster will honor the four Teachers of the Year on September 20 during her State of Education speech and awards ceremony at the State Capitol in Madison.

A panel of educators, parents, and community leaders selected Wisconsin’s four Teachers of the Year from a pool of 86 Kohl Teacher Fellows, who were named in spring 2007. The four Teachers of the Year are chosen for their ability to inspire students’ love of learning, instructional innovation and leadership, and commitment to community involvement.

Elementary Teacher of the Year
A teacher since 1985, Tierney-Ley has been at Rosholt Elementary School since 1991. She holds a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a master’s degree in teacher leadership from Silver Lake College in Manitowoc. A parent nominated Tierney-Ley for teaching honors for “her enthusiasm for teaching and the connections she encourages between students and their families.” The parent cited Tierney-Ley’s Family Writing Journals, which develop student writing skills and foster school-family communication.

Middle/Junior High School Teacher of the Year
Oswald has been teaching world history in Evansville since 1996. She holds an associate degree from the University of Wisconsin Center in Rock County, a bachelor of arts degree from Beloit College, and a master of education degree in professional development from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. McKenna Middle School Principal Robert Flaherty nominated Oswald for her ability to “hook” all of her students into learning in the classroom, for her leadership in creating integrated units in all subject areas, and for spearheading service projects via student government.

High School Teacher of the Year
Karban began his teaching career in 1980 in West Allis, moving to Oconto Falls High School in 1997. His classes include small engines, welding, and motorcycle fundamentals. He holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a master of arts in education from Viterbo College in La Crosse. He has pursued additional graduate credits at both Viterbo and UW-Oshkosh. Principal Bruce Russell nominated Karban for being “an energetic teacher who finds a multitude of ways to not only teach, but to inspire his students.” Additionally, he cited Karban’s ability to encourage students to strive for exemplary performance while instilling a sense of responsibility, leadership, and service.

Special Services Teacher of the Year
Kostelnik began her career in education in 1991, teaching Title I language arts in Milwaukee. She moved to North Junior High School in Menomonee Falls in 1998 after earning her master’s of library and information science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She holds an elementary education degree from UW-Madison. Principal Barbara Tays nominated Kostelnik in recognition of the essential role she plays in the academic development of students. Kostelnik also was cited for her ability to work with teachers to incorporate technology into the curriculum and connect class projects with information literacy and research skills. Kostelnik began working at Menomonee Falls High School this school year.

Posted September 5, 2007