SJSD awards teacher, support person of the year

The St. Joseph School District gifted awards for Teacher of the Year and Support Person of the Year on Tuesday morning.

The winner of the SJSD Teacher of the Year award was Mary Sanders, a fourth-grade teacher at Pershing Elementary School. Sanders has been with Pershing for two years, previously teaching at Pickett Elementary and Lindbergh Elementary.

Sanders says that the district is full of great teachers, and she is fortunate to have been recognized.

"To be chosen out of all of these amazing teachers is just like an amazing moment," Sanders said. "I work really hard with really amazing people and so it's just, you know, I love my kids so much, I love my job so much. So it just, it means the world to me."

The winner of the SJSD Support Person of the Year award was Jennifer Koch, the school nurse for Lafayette High School. Koch has been the nurse at Lafayette for 22 years.

Koch said she is honored to have won the award for her work.

"I just show up to do my job everyday and I do what I can to do what's best for kids and that's all I ever want to do," Koch said. "So I'm just glad that they've decided to award me for that."

Koch also shared appreciation that school nurses are being recognized.

"I'm more excited that they're just recognizing the fact that school nurses do a lot for education," Koch said.

There will be a Tribute to Teachers and Support Staff Celebration on April 15 at Missouri Western State University to recognize the finalists and winners.

Sanders will move on to the Northwest Missouri Regional Teacher of the Year competition, with the potential to advance to the Missouri Teacher of the Year competition.