On Wednesday, January 28, Lansing USD 469 was proud to welcome the Region 2 Kansas Teacher of the Year candidates for a full-day visit showcasing all that our district has to offer. Lansing’s own 2024 Teacher of the Year nominee, Mariah Neff, is part of this incredible group of educators. As part of the Kansas Teacher of the Year process, nominees have the opportunity to visit one another’s districts to learn, share ideas, and experience different educational environments across the region.
The day began at Ten & Two Coffee in Lansing, where the group gathered for a light breakfast and coffee before beginning their district tour. Candidates were transported throughout the district on one of our school buses. Special thanks to driver Stephen Lechliter for keeping the group on schedule and safely on the road.
The first stop was Lansing Early Childhood, where Dr. Becca Dalton led a tour of the early childhood center and daycare, highlighting the district’s commitment to supporting learners from the very beginning.
Next, the group traveled to Lansing Elementary School, where Dr. Jennifer Kolb provided a building tour and invited visitors into first-grade classrooms to observe Kansas Day activities in action. The group then visited Ms. Counts’ kindergarten classroom to learn about how Lansing approaches intervention supports, followed by a presentation on the district’s Watch D.O.G.S. program.
At Lansing Intermediate School, Principal Martin Altieri, along with several students, guided the group through the building. The visit also included a presentation on BIST (Behavior Intervention Support Team) and how the framework has been successfully implemented across the district.
The tour continued at the Lansing District Office, where Superintendent Marty Kobza shared information about the district’s first-year teacher cohort and discussed how Lansing has responded to an increase in student behaviors by adding registered behavior technicians, an additional focus room, and the new KinderBoost program. Following that, Director of Teaching and Learning Miles Azzeh presented on the Kansas Heartland Virtual Program, explaining how the virtual option provides an additional layer of support for students who need more flexibility or may not thrive in a traditional classroom setting.
After the district office visit, the group headed to Lansing High School for lunch. A big thank you to Lansing’s Low & Slow BBQ for providing a delicious meal, and to culinary arts students Brandon Mosher and Mary Archambault for preparing desserts. The afternoon included a tour of the high school, highlighting programs and spaces that support student learning and engagement.
Special recognition goes to broadcasting students Aaron Tierney and Joseph Anderson, who documented the visit throughout the day for an upcoming episode of the LHS Roar.
The final building stop was Lansing Middle School, where peer leaders Trinity Gillespie and Ashlyn Pohl, along with Student Council members Matthew Bone and Yumiko Jiang, led the group on a tour and shared student perspectives on life at LMS.
The day concluded back at Ten & Two Coffee, where the group gathered for goodbyes and recorded sound clips for an upcoming episode of the Lion Pride-Cast.
Lansing USD 469 is grateful for the opportunity to host the Region 2 Kansas Teacher of the Year candidates and to share the people, programs, and students that make our district such a special place to learn and work.