Lansing Educational Foundation Announces the Lansing USD469 Secondary Teacher of the Year (VIDEO)
Congratulations to Lansing's Secondary Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Vera Daniels! Mrs. Daniels has worked in the Lansing School District for the past nine years and is currently the eighth grade science teacher for the Trail Blazers team. She is also very active in the community and serves as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) leader for St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church.
Lansing Middle School principal, Kerry Brungardt, was thrilled to hear Mrs. Daniels received the award this year. "I have had the pleasure of working with Vera in my capacity as principal of Lansing Middle School. I hired her to teach 8th grade science and have found her to be a phenomenal teacher," said Mr. Brungardt. "When I watch her instruct, students are attentive and truly engaged in what is being taught. She continues to look for ways to improve her instruction and always follows research-based practices."
Assistant Principal, Brooks Jenkins, also noted several things Mrs. Daniels does outside of the classroom that make her a standout educator. "Mrs. Daniels' love for science met with a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon two years ago when the total solar eclipse took place in August. Mrs. Daniels took a course on the solar eclipse over the previous summer to give her full advantage when this real-life Earth Science event occurred." He said Mrs. Daniels also serves on the Lansing Middle School iPad committee and serves on the BIST Steering Committee, holding a chair position for the past two years. She also volunteers her time for after-school activities to help her students in the science arena, including overseeing a Maker Space area and helping coordinate student teams in the process of submitting proposals for exhibits in the "Battle of the Brains" competition.
Mrs. Daniels was surprised in a Zoom meeting by Mr. Brungardt, Mr. Jenkins, her peers who nominated her, and LEF representatives, Ms. Christine Aus and Sharon Burns (scroll down to see video).
"I work with an amazing group of people who are all worthy of the honor," said Mrs. Daniels. "We all support each other and try to build each other up, and I am humbled by their nomination. I can't believe they kept this secret from me."
Thank you, Mrs. Vera Daniels, for your dedication to the students at Lansing Middle School!