Elementary school teacher Kelly Shrein of Anchorage has been named Alaska’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: Alaska Public Media
It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these educators is Kelly Shrein, an elementary school teacher from Anchorage, Alaska. She has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.
Kelly teaches a combination class for first and second graders at Chinook Elementary School in Anchorage. During the pandemic, she demonstrated extraordinary resolve to connect with her students beyond online teaching. She started by driving to the house of each of her students to express how much they were missed. She then began writing postcards, setting up Zoom meetings, and making phone calls consistently through the Spring and Summer.
“This past school year has thrown so many curveballs at educators and our students and their families,” asserts Kelly. “And I learned through this experience, I just needed to think outside of the box more,” she said. “How do I connect more with my students? How do I connect more with their families? How do I keep these relationships going? Because they’re so important,” she concluded.
When classes resumed via Zoom in Fall of 2020, attendance in her class was higher than anticipated. The results of the time spent connecting with students outside of class were apparent. Her outreach gained the attention of local news outlets around the country and was featured in Rolling Stone Magazine in May, 2020.
Her effort did not go unnoticed by administrators in her District. “Kelly Shrein is a shining example of what makes Alaska’s educators among the best in the country,” declares school Commissioner Michael Johnson. “Even in the face of adversity, Mrs. Shrein goes to extraordinary lengths on a daily basis to connect with her students and ensure an excellent education, regardless of the circumstances,” he continued. “Kelly’s work to reach out to, support, and encourage her students throughout the pandemic shows tremendous creativity and care – not just for who the students are today, but for the adults and leaders they will become in the future,” Johnson concluded.
Kelly earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2013 from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. In 2018, she earned a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Reading and Literacy from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
To read more about Kelly Shrein, see this article about her published on the website for CCSSO Teacher of the Year.
