The Kansas Teacher of the Year Award recognizes and utilizes representatives of excellent teaching in the elementary and secondary classrooms of the state. Each year, Turner’s schools select their building teacher of the year nominee. Then, a committee selects one secondary and one elementary teacher as the district nominees. Congratulations to this year’s Elementary Kansas Teacher of the Year nominee, Ms. Kathleen Varberg, third grade teacher at Midland Trail Elementary!

Q: Why did you choose to go into the teaching field?

A: I didn't consider education as a possible career path until a leadership class during my senior year of high school in which I was required to complete a long-term volunteer project. Tutoring at my former elementary school opened my eyes to the magic of watching something "click" in a student's mind. Those little "aha" moments remain my favorite part of teaching, and I continue to chase those moments every day in my classroom.

Q: What have you most enjoyed about teaching?

A: For me, the highlight of teaching has always been watching my students grow. As I mentioned, the moment something "clicks" for a student as they learn a new skill is one of the most magical parts of the job. We as teachers have the privilege of watching how those little moments compound over the course of an entire school year and lead to amazing growth for our students, both academically and personally. Working in an elementary school, I get to see amazing progress in my current students throughout the school year as well as being able to watch my former students evolve and grow throughout the rest of their time at Midland Trail. Having started in Turner as a first-grade teacher and then moving to third grade, I was able to witness this on a deeper level by teaching the same cohorts of students for multiple years.

Q: What do you most like about teaching in Turner?

A: I love that USD 202 is a small, strong community. This has allowed me to create meaningful relationships with students and families as well as colleagues and administrators. Working in a smaller district makes everything feel more personal, and I feel seen and supported. This small, intimate community has provided me with a network of incredible, passionate fellow educators to learn from and knowledgeable coaches and administrators to support me in my teaching journey.