Idaho Teacher of the Year Heidi Cornell tells lawmakers her mission: 'I want you to feel deeply loved when you are with me'

Debbie Critchfield, Idaho State Superintendent of Public Instruction, introduced Heidi Cornell to the House Committee on Education as Idaho's 2025 Teacher of the Year. Critchfield described the statewide nomination and selection process and said a private award funded by CapEd accompanies the recognition.

Heidi Cornell, a third‑grade teacher at Orchards Elementary in the Lewiston School District, told the committee her "mission is that you feel deeply loved when you are with me." Cornell said that mission — developed through Leader in Me professional development — guided her classroom practice and her approach as a professional learning community (PLC) lead. She described PLC work that focused teams on essential standards, student‑friendly learning targets, common formative assessments and structured interventions and enrichment.

Cornell said her school adopted PLCs district‑wide and that the approach helped teachers understand where each student was academically and what interventions they needed. She described classroom units that connect learning to the community, such as a "Coins for a Cause" unit in which third graders research local nonprofits and write persuasive speeches to advocate for donations.

Committee members applauded Cornell and asked questions about Leader in Me and costs. Representative Clow asked how long the school had used Leader in Me and whether the staff embraced it; Cornell said the school obtained Leader in Me through a grant years earlier and that while some implementation steps were curtailed by funding, much of the work remains in practice. Representative Nelson asked about the program's cost; Cornell said she did not have a current dollar figure and cited funding limitations as the reason some Leader in Me elements were discontinued.

Representative Chancellor Mathias and others asked how educators account for differences in home support when evaluating third‑grade reading scores; Cornell said PLCs and team collaboration allow schools to inventory student needs and bring in counselors and social workers to address nonacademic barriers to learning.

The committee recognized Cornell with applause and thanked her for visiting the committee. Chair Hawkins and other members encouraged further visits from classroom teachers to inform policymaking.

Ending: Committee members said they value hearing from classroom educators and encouraged Cornell and other teachers to return for future discussions.