Five Johnson County teachers are on the list of 2024 Horizon Award recipients from the Kansas State Department of Education.
Educators from Olathe Public Schools, USD 232 in De Soto, the Shawnee Mission School District and Gardner-Edgerton were among the recipients named in this region of the state.
The local Horizon Award recipients are:
- Janelle Craig, a biology teacher at Olathe West High
- Brennan Mills, an English and language arts teacher at Indian Woods Middle in the Shawnee Mission School District
- Elizabeth Palmer, a second grade teacher at Rosehill Elementary in the Shawnee Mission School District
- Jonas Pippitt, a math teacher at Gardner Edgerton High
- Taylar Flaming, a third grade teacher at Starside Elementary in USD 232 in De Soto
Additionally, teachers from the Louisburg, Paola and Turner school districts were named to the list of regional Horizon Award recipients.
What is the Horizon Award?
- The Horizon Award recognizes educators who are early in their careers for their “outstanding teaching skills,” according to a KSDE news release.
- School districts annually nominate one elementary and one secondary school teacher for the award.
- “To be eligible for the award, teachers must have successfully completed their first year of teaching and have performed in such a way as to distinguish themselves as outstanding,” according to the news release.
- Randy Watson, Kansas’ commissioner of education, informed this year’s recipients with phone calls.
Looking ahead
- In all, 32 educators from across the state were named 2024 Kansas Horizon Award recipients.
- They will all be recognized at the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network State Education Conference in Topeka on Feb. 23.
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