LSR7, Chamber of Commerce Award 15 Excellence in Teaching/Teacher of Distinction Awards

Fifteen Lee’s Summit R-7 School District educators were recognized by the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce and LSR7 for Excellence in Teaching.

Earlier this year, LSR7 opened a nomination process to celebrate outstanding educators in our school community in collaboration with the Chamber. Certified educators with more than five years of service in LSR7 are considered for one of two recognitions:

• Excellence in Teaching Award: Given annually to 12 teachers, counselors or library media specialists who embody overall dedication and excellence in LSR7.

• Teachers of Distinction Award: Given annually to three former Excellence In Teaching recipients who have been nominated again.  

Excellence In Teaching and Teacher of Distinction recipients may go on to interview for LSR7's Teacher of the Year award. This teacher serves as a representative of all of the outstanding educators in the R-7 district and goes on to compete for Missouri Teacher of the Year awarded by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Excellence in Teaching Recipients: 

• Emily Haines, Pleasant Lea Elementary
• Brenda Hall, Summit Pointe Elementary
• Stephanie Hill, Lee’s Summit West and (???)
• Andrea Hood-Johnson, Lee’s Summit North
• Jennifer Jones, Lee’s Summit West
• Andrea Lanning, Summit Pointe Elementary
• Becky Mallen, Meadow Lane Elementary
• Elaine McDonald, Lee’s Summit High School
• Trish Oswald, Hazel Grove Elementary
• April Paul, Sunset Valley Elementary
• Dawn Twenter, Cedar Creek Elementary
• Danielle Wesley, Miller Park Center

Teacher of Distinction Recipients:

• Michelle Lisle, Hazel Grove Elementary
• Jenny Reidlinger, East Trails Middle School
• Clif Thurmond, Lee's Summit West and Summit Lakes Middle School

Staff will be honored at a reception and ceremony at 5 p.m. on April 17 at Lee’s Summit High School. The Teacher of the Year will be revealed at the ceremony.