The Board would like you to join us in congratulating our 2020-21 Teacher of the Year: JoLynn Torgerson!
JoLynn began her teaching career in 2012 at Grand County School District as a third grade teacher. She is now a master skilled fifth grade teacher. Staff say JoLynn is an innovative teacher who is always trying new things and adjusting her teaching to what is working and changing when things are not working. She gives her students many hands-on learning experiences to help them grasp the concepts being taught.
She has been very flexible this year doing both online and in-person learning through the Covid-19 pandemic. With the knowledge she has about technology, she was able to quickly transition her students to remote learning with ease when school shut down during the nationwide Covid-19 closure. Her students were already familiar with Google Classroom and able to continue with their assignments without much of a disruption to their learning.
Her online classroom participation was one of the highest in the school. As students returned in the fall for a new school year, Jolynn led the remote learners in 5th grade. Staff say she is the obvious choice for leading remote learning: she successfully set up her technology using multiple monitors, the document camera, microphones and headphones to create as real of a classroom setting as possible. She interacts one-on-one with students, in small groups, and as a whole class throughout the day. She has demonstrated through several observations that she can teach just as well as an online teacher as she does in person. Even with the challenges that do come up, she is easily able to fix or figure out what needs to be done in order to give students the best education possible. She is also a teacher that truly cares about the students and other staff members in the building.
JoLynn wants what is best for everyone and is keenly aware of how those around her are feeling and what their needs are. She is described as an excellent educator who uses her master skills to help teach others. Congratulations JoLynn!