Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Recognitions topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cache County Board honors five Teachers of the Year; Lincoln Elementary reports test gains
Summary
At a regular Cache County School District board meeting, five district teachers were recognized as their schools' Teachers of the Year and Lincoln Elementary principal Audrey McHale reported enrollment, demographics and improved RISE results, including removal from TSI status for some student groups.
The Cache County School District Board recognized five teachers as their schools' Teachers of the Year and received a school report from Lincoln Elementary during its meeting.
The board honored Gina Vincent, a resource teacher at Lincoln Elementary; Brooke Richards, who teaches essential elements at Summit Elementary; Holly Hanson, a fourth-grade teacher at Lewiston Elementary; Zoe Jensen, a kindergarten teacher at Mountainside Elementary; and Jennifer Whipple, a math teacher at Ridgeline High School. Each teacher's award was presented by their school principal or a designated school leader. Presenters described the recipients as student-focused, collaborative and committed to supporting students with diverse needs.
The recognition section highlighted classroom practices and community engagement. Presenters described Gina Vincent as meeting each student “right where they are” and helping students develop emotional regulation and social skills. Summit Elementary principal Amy McNeil noted Brooke Richards' 31-year career in the district and her impact across general and special education classrooms. Lewiston principal Troy Pugmire said Holly Hanson runs morning tutoring and a reading incentive program and brings hands-on projects to her class. Mountainside principal Cam Emmett praised Zoe Jensen for quickly becoming “part of the heart of Mountainside” and noted her willingness to teach multiple grade levels. Ridgeline principal Bardette Bagley said students describe Jennifer Whipple as “calm and patient,” and praised her classroom management and instructional approach.
Lincoln Elementary principal Audrey McHale gave a school report after the recognition segment. McHale said Lincoln serves 504 students with just over 105 staff members, that nearly half of students are economically disadvantaged, about 16% have disabilities and roughly 10% are English language learners. She said Lincoln exceeded the state average on RISE exams in English language arts, math and science but fell short of the district average. McHale reported that Lincoln was removed from the state’s Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) designation for the student groups that had been identified (English learners and students with disabilities). She described the school’s extracurriculars and family engagement activities, including a Latino community night and a science fair, and said staff reported high levels of collective teacher efficacy on recent faculty surveys.
Board members thanked the teachers and McHale for the presentation and several board members encouraged colleagues to visit Lincoln Elementary. The recognition portion concluded before the board moved on to business items.
The board did not take formal action on the recognitions or the school report beyond the presentations and expressions of appreciation.
