Teachers a part of numerous activities inside and outside of the Albert Lea school district

 

Editor’s note: The following is a portion of information provided by each of the Albert Lea Area Schools Teacher of the Year candidates. The ceremony to announce the new Teacher of the Year will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

 

Mary Bissen

Music, Southwest Middle School

Years of service to District 241: six

Please describe and/or list degrees or coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree level:

In May, I will graduate from Southwest Minnesota State University with a Master of Science in education, emphasizing teaching, learning and leadership. This degree is being earned through a learning community in Albert Lea led by Lon Richardson and Kristen Seeger.

School activities other than teaching (paid or unpaid). This area can highlight your committee work, curriculum writing, advising, etc.:

In addition to my teaching job, I direct a seventh-grade show choir that meets Thursdays before school. When I was teaching at the high school, I also directed SASS, the all-female show choir, for a few years. This season will be my fourth as the assistant JV softball coach alongside Karol Hansen. I’ve served on both the BLT and ILT at Southwest, participating in some of the changes to our school’s mission statement and collective commitments. This year I am also serving as a student council adviser at Southwest, along with Robin Viktora.

Awards, honors, etc./Community activities (Please include the awarding agency and year.):

Teacher of the Year nominee in 2014, 2018 and 2019; honored teacher for students involved in basketball and swimming at ALHS 2014, 2017-19.

I live in Austin, so most of my community involvement takes place there, but that includes singing at church and other community events. I have also served on the Chamber of Commerce ACCESS scholarship committee in Austin and as a director of a children’s choir at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. In Albert Lea, I try to get my students  in the community at least once a year, singing in nursing homes near Southwest. I also enjoy attending my students’ events as often as I can to show them support outside of school.

 

 

Matt Bitz

Fifth grade, Lakeview Elementary School

Years of service to District 241: six

Please describe and/or list degrees or coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree level:

I recently completed my master’s degree in educational technology from Concordia St. Paul.

School activities other than teaching (paid or unpaid). This area can highlight your committee work, curriculum writing, advising, etc.

I have been a part of the Albert Lea Tigers football program every year I have been a part of the district, from seventh-grade football to ninth-grade football to the defensive coordinator of the varsity team for the last three years. At Lakeview, I have been a part of the Child Study Team, Student Committee, Sunshine Committee and Instructional Leadership Team. Also, I have been the Math Masters coach for the last five years.

Awards, honors, etc./Community activities (Please include the awarding agency and year.):

I have applied for two grants from the Albert Lea Education Foundation in order to increase the love of reading for my students to have more literature circle books and have more interactive read-aloud books. I have been fairly busy with my schoolwork and committees to do a ton of community activities, but I have volunteered at ALEA-sponsored events when I could. I have been nominated for  Teacher of the Year every year I have been a part of the district, and this will be my second time being a finalist. I was recently named KIMT’s Golden Apple Award winner.

 

 

Kris Burnett

Kindergarten, Hawthorne Elementary School

Years of service to District 241:

I started as a substitute in Albert Lea in 1989-90. I had some long-term positions (mobile science lab, first-grade, and a self-contained EBD room), but I didn’t have an actual “job” until 1993-94 when I was hired as a generalist at Halverson. I taught social skills and peer mediation as part of specialist’s scheduling. I was cut, and then returned to subbing (long-term kindergarten, and I developed an extended-day kindergarten program for students who needed extra programming. At that time, the district only offered half-day kindergarten. In 1995-96, then I was hired as a para in early childhood special education. In 1996-97, I was hired to teach kindergarten at Halverson. I have been in kindergarten ever since, except for looping with my class to first grade in 1998.

Please describe and/or list degrees or coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree level:

2004: Master of Education-curriculum and instruction from St. Mary’s University.

School activities other than teaching (paid or unpaid). This area can highlight your committee work, curriculum writing, advising, etc.:

I am the building representative for Hawthorne school on the ALEA executive board. I have taught summer school for the past 22 or 23 years: Title One, Open Arms programming and most currently targeted services. I teach kindergarten targeted services at Hawthorne. (I have taught targeted services programs for at least 12 years.) I was a facilitator for PLC groups several years. I have served on district math, health and science committees. I served on building leadership teams several years at Halverson and at Hawthorne. I am currently on the Sunshine Committee at Hawthorne. I have served on this committee many times over the years at Hawthorne and Halverson.

Awards, honors, etc./Community activities (Please include the awarding agency and year.):

Teacher of the Year nominations 2004, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Finalist in 2009, 2017 and 2019.

 

 

Heather Heitman Alford

Intervention, Lakeview Elementary School

Years of service to District 241: 16

Please describe and/or list degrees or coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree level:

Bachelor’s degree from Wartburg College with endorsements in early childhood and reading.

Master’s degree from St. Mary’s University in teacher leadership

K-12 reading specialists  certificate from St. Mary’s University

School activities other than teaching (paid or unpaid). This area can highlight your committee work, curriculum writing, advising, etc.

ATTPS building coordinator for two years (Sibley); PLC facilitator for many years (Sibley); district reading and math committees;  building child study teams (Sibley and Lakeview); building leadership team (Sibley); district learning team; mentor for many years (Sibley); Minnesota Reading Corp. internal reading coach; tutored students; taught summer school; attended International Reading Association  conference; hosted a student teacher from Luther College (Lakeview);  organized, planned and worked at many literacy and math nights for Title I students; organized, planned and worked at many literacy nights at the Albert Lea Public Library; organized, planned and worked at many “Green Eggs and Ham” breakfasts (Sibley)

Awards, honors, etc./Community activities (Please include the awarding agency and year.):

Teacher of the Year nominee several years.

Attend Hope Church; raise money for organizations and running 5k and 10k races (Unleash the She, Tiger Trot, Gobble Wobble, March of Dimes); volunteer at Wind Down Wednesdays.

 

 

Paula Olson

English, Area Learning Center

Years of service to District 241: 17

Please describe and/or list degrees or coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree level:

Bachelor of Arts plus 15 (I began working on a MA in teaching and learning from Minnesota State University-Mankato). I have a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a second Bachelor of Science in English and communication teaching from Minnesota State University-Mankato

School activities other than teaching (paid or unpaid). This area can highlight your committee work, curriculum writing, advising, etc.

I have written the curriculum for English at the ALC and also worked with Wendy Bidne to develop a team-taught English course for special ed students as well as those that struggle with reading. I have also written an online option in Schoology and am currently updating it. I have written several elective classes, as electives are hard for our students to get with so few teachers. The electives are creative writing, theater, media studies, digital storytelling and film studies. I am currently working with the ALC team to develop curriculum for student orientation to the ALC. I have taught summer school for many summers.

I have implemented and advise/teach the MAAP STARS program at the ALC. This is a course as well as a statewide organization for ALC students to help improve the learning community at the ALC, develop and practice public speaking, community service projects, yearbook, career exploration, practice in interview skills and other career skills. They work on building their self-esteem, confidence, teamwork and leadership skills. They are currently preparing to compete at the state spring conference in a variety of areas.

I wrote and received a grant from the Education Foundation committee to help students attend the MAAP STARS Leadership Conference.

Teacher of the Year committee member serving for the past four years; solution team; mentored and took two students to The Writers Workshop in Mankato; volunteered at the ALEA literacy booth at Wind Down Wednesday; been a mentor for new teachers; served as a leader for PBIS; served as the technology rep for the ALC for several years; was an adviser for student council at the ALC; served as a facilitator for PLC for five years

 

 

Joie Willner

Special education, Lakeview Elementary School

Years of service to District 241: 15 years

Please describe and/or list degrees or coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree level:

I currently do not have a degree beyond my bachelor’s degree. This is a goal of mine to accomplish someday.

School activities other than teaching (paid or unpaid). This area can highlight your committee work, curriculum writing, advising, etc.

In years past, I have been a part of the Lakeview Sunshine Committee, Student Committee, the ASD Task Force and the English Language Arts Committee

Awards, honors, etc./Community activities (Please include the awarding agency and year.):

I received the KAAL Excellent Educator Award in November 2011.

I enjoy helping out with my children’s activities outside of school and volunteering for various activities at our church.