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Third-grade teacher Heidi Cornell named Idaho Teacher of the Year; cites professional learning communities and family partnerships
Summary
Heidi Cornell, a third-grade teacher at Orchards Elementary in Lewiston, told the Senate Education Committee her mission is to make students "feel deeply loved," and she described how professional learning communities, family partnerships and college intern programs support student learning.
Heidi Cornell, a third-grade teacher at Orchards Elementary in the Lewiston School District, appeared before the Senate Education Committee on Oct. 25, 2025, after being named Idaho Teacher of the Year for 2025.
Cornell said her classroom mission is "that you feel deeply loved when you are with me," and described how that belief shapes instruction, classroom culture and leadership work in her school. She told senators her district pursued a districtwide professional learning community (PLC) model and appointed PLC leads at each elementary school; Cornell said she accepted a temporary PLC lead role after completing a master’s degree and later returned to classroom teaching.
Cornell described how her school revised mission, vision and values using PLC guiding questions — what students must learn, how teachers know they learned it, what to do if they have or have not learned it — and how teams developed student-friendly learning targets and common formative assessments. She said the school devotes about 90 minutes each week to PLC work and that the approach has helped teachers identify interventions and enrichment for every student. "We know better than ever where every student is at and what every student needs," she told the committee.
Cornell gave classroom examples: a "Coins for Our Cause" unit in which third graders research local nonprofits and write persuasive speeches asking for donations; a career-speaker day when parents describe occupations and work habits for students; and partnerships with Lewis-Clark State College and the University of Idaho that bring teacher interns into the classroom. She said those partnerships expose students to higher‑education pathways and sometimes inspire students to consider teaching careers.
Asked what resources teachers most need, Cornell said money, time and people — emphasizing built-in time for PLC collaboration as essential. She closed by urging the committee to invest in supports that let teachers focus on instruction and relationships.
Cornell was introduced by State Superintendent Debbie Critchfield, who noted that any educator can be nominated for the state teacher honor and that Cornell will represent Idaho on the national stage.
