Talented, compassionate educators serve across the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) every single day. These individuals are ALL IN to ensure student success. This fall, the district has recognized four individuals who represent the best among the best. These include the state-recognized Horizon Award nominees and Kansas Teacher of the Year nominees.
About Horizon Award nominees
The Horizon Award recognizes educators for excellence demonstrated in the first year of their career. Ryleigh Diskin, a first grade teacher at Ray Marsh Elementary School, and Christopher Heady, journalism instructor at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, were selected to be the SMSD’s Horizon Award nominees.
Heady and Diskin will now be considered with other elementary and secondary teachers in the region for state Horizon Award recognition. The state of Kansas is divided by congressional district into four regions, and selects four elementary and four secondary award winners from each region for a state-wide total of 32 teachers.
Diskin is an outstanding educator for many reasons, but her ability to create a classroom environment where all students feel like they belong is something truly worth celebrating, according to Ray Marsh Principal Taylor Ramsey.
“Ryleigh works relentlessly to create a classroom community where all students feel welcome, loved, and cared for,” Ramsey added.
In Shawnee Mission Northwest’s journalism classroom, Heady creates “a space where student leaders make key decisions, shape their vision, and hone their craft as journalists,” Principal Dr. Lisa Gruman explained.
“Mr. Heady stepped into this role as just the second journalism sponsor in the history of our school, inheriting high expectations alongside the challenge of building a program true to his style,” she added.
About Kansas Teacher of the Year nominees
Shawnee Mission has announced one primary and one secondary teacher to represent the district in the 2026 Kansas Teacher of the Year program. Shauna Hammett, a kindergarten teacher at Apache Elementary School, and Lara Caldwell, an English teacher at Horizons High School, are the district nominees. The Kansas Teacher of the Year Award recognizes and utilizes representatives of excellent teaching in the elementary and secondary classrooms of the state.
Apache Elementary School Principal Dr. Abby Morgan noted that Hammett believes each child brings unique talents to her classroom and uses them as an entry point to ensure they succeed academically and socially.
Visitors in her classroom can see students designing and engineering box cars for practicing pushes and pulls in science, or traveling through a phonics-based obstacle course to help them gain more practice with letter-sound correspondence.
“Every aspect of her lessons directly connects to essential learning and how to excite and engage students in their education,” Dr. Morgan added. “Every lesson is thoughtfully implemented in Ms. Hammett’s kindergarten classroom.”
Hammett has also served as a mentor to beginning teachers, contributed to curriculum map designs and revision, and has supported multiple school building teams.
“Her ideas and expertise have positively impacted the classrooms at our school and in our school district,” Principal Dr. Abby Morgan expressed.
At Horizons High School, Laura Caldwell constantly seeks out new strategies to enhance student learning and create meaningful connections between academic content and Real World experiences, according to Eddie LyDay, Principal at Horizons High School. In addition to her work in the classroom, she has sponsored the student leadership team and has served as the student yearbook advisor. In both roles, she has worked to empower students to take an active role in shaping their school culture.
“Ms. Lara Caldwell exemplifies all the qualities of an exceptional educator: expertise, compassion, leadership, innovation, and a deep commitment to her students, colleagues, and the profession,” LyDay added.
Both educators will be honored as part of the Kansas Teacher of the Year program. The Shawnee Mission School District congratulates these educators and thanks them for all they do in support of each student achieving their personal best.
Shawnee Mission School District is the third largest school district in Kansas. The district serves students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade in 34 elementary schools, five middle schools, five high schools, and several educational centers. It has been consistently ranked among the finest school districts nationwide for its high student performance. The district’s objective is that each student will have a personalized learning plan that will prepare them for college and careers, with the interpersonal skills they need for life success. The district serves a diverse student population from 14 cities within northeast Johnson County, Kansas, which is 10 miles from downtown Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, visit https://www.smsd.org/
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