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TEACHING

Summer/Back to School 2024
MINNESOTA’S K–12 EDUCATION CONNECTIONTODAY MN ™

Moorhead House Remodel Minnesota Finalists Chosen for

Demonstrates Former MHS Presidential Awards for Excellence in

Teacher’s Legacy Mathematics and Science Teaching

The builder sent Tyler Spriggs to meet The Minnesota Department of Education
with the Olsons and as they walked through (MDE) is pleased to announce that six Min-
the house, he immediately noticed the gun nesota teachers have been selected as 2024
cabinet in the corner. “Tyler said it looks just f nalists for the Presidential Awards for Excel-
like the one he made in high school,” Chris lence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
recalled. “So I asked him, ‘Who was your (PAEMST).
teacher?’ and he said ‘Stan Olson.’ The Minnesota f nalists are:
When Tyler learned he was standing
in Stan Olson’s basement, he was blown Mathematics
away. His words impacted Chris deeply. “He Kristin Cayo, Eden Prairie Schools, Forest
told me that dad was his favorite teacher Hills Elementary School
and those classes are a big reason why he’s Sarah Donovan, Anoka-Hennepin Schools, Kristin Cayo Sarah Donovan
working in construction now.” Hamilton Elementary School
Spriggs, MHS Class of 2005, took Mark Nechanicky, Albert Lea Area Schools,
woodworking with the elder Mr. Olson Lakeview Elementary School
before he retired in 2003. He grew up in a
family of contractors but taking woodwork- Science
ing at MHS helped cement his passion for Krista Wyvell-Fink, Anoka-Hennepin
Moorhead Area Public Schools Schools, Rum River Elementary School
Chris Olson is a music teacher at Prob- Kelly Gibson, Saint Paul Public Schools,
stf eld Elementary whose family has a long Battle Creek Elementary School
history with Moorhead Area Public Schools. Deanne Trottier, Pequot Lakes Schools,
Chris himself is a Moorhead High School Eagle View Elementary School
alum, having graduated in 1992, as were his Mark Nechanicky Krista Wyvall-Fink
parents Stan and Margie, both in the MHS The PAEMST are the highest honors
Class of 1961. He also follows in the profes- bestowed by the U.S. government specif cally
sional footsteps of his mom and dad: Stan for K-12 science, technology, engineering, and
was an MHS woodworking teacher for 31 mathematics teaching. The awards were estab-
years; Margie was a family and consumer lished by Congress in 1983 and the President
sciences teacher and later substitute at MHS recognizes around 100 exemplary teachers
for 39 years. each year.
When Margie passed away in February The award recognizes teachers who have
at age 80—Stan had passed in 2020 at age deep content knowledge of the subjects they
77—Chris and his wife Lynne decided to teach and the ability to motivate and enable
renovate and then move into Stan and Mar- students to succeed in those areas. The award
gie’s house. The Olsons contacted a custom is administered by the National Science
home builder in Fargo to inquire about the Kelly Gibson Deanne Trottier
project. Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 25

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