They are the quiet, but fiercely passionate force behind celebrating 68 Outstanding Educators in Jordan School District every year.

On this episode of the Supercast, meet the caring community volunteers who are part of the Jordan Education Foundation, making it possible to recognize and reward teachers who rise to the top. Teachers in every one of our schools, who are often brought to tears when total strangers show up to thank them for their tireless work in the classroom.

Audio Transcription

[MUSIC]

Jenna Miller:
Being a part of this Bus Day, going around to different schools and celebrating outstanding educators means a lot. You actually get to learn about what these outstanding educators are doing in their classroom, the impact they're having.

Laura Klarman:
We saw the mayors involved, they would come to their local schools. I love seeing again that community support is so important.

[MUSIC]

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are the quiet but fiercely passionate force behind celebrating 68 Outstanding Educators in Jordan School District every year. On this episode of the Supercast, meet the caring community volunteers who are part of the Jordan Education Foundation, the group that makes it possible to recognize and reward teachers who rise to the top. They reward teachers in every one of our schools, teachers who are often brought to tears when total strangers show up to thank them for their tireless work in the classroom.

[MUSIC]

Anthony Godfrey:
We are on the bus today celebrating Outstanding Educators with the Jordan Education Foundation. We're talking now with Jordan Education Foundation President Jenna Miller. Jenna, thanks for taking a few minutes with us.

Jenna Miller:
So glad to be here, so glad to be on the bus today.

Anthony Godfrey:
So for those who do not know what Bus Day is or even Outstanding Educator Awards, would you please describe what this program and what this day is all about?

Jenna Miller:
Yes, I would love to. So the Jordan Education Foundation, each year we have the opportunity to recognize outstanding educators in every school in our District. There's one day in particular where we join together and ride on the yellow school bus as a [Jordan Education] Foundation Board with a great driver. We have the chance to visit the top 12 or 14 teachers that were nominated for Outstanding Educator for the entire District.

Anthony Godfrey:
There's an award for an educator at every one of our 68 schools and for 14 of them, they receive $1,000 and an invitation to the banquet. It's just for every educator, this just means the world. All of them get a sign for their yard and a sign for the school so that everyone knows what an amazing educator they are, along with a lot of other really cool prizes. So the Foundation does an incredible job of putting together a really fun package for every teacher. You've done this for a long time. Talk to me about the impact of giving these awards.

Jenna Miller:
Well, it's always a pleasure to be able to go out and visit all 68 schools every year to see the things that they are doing, to recognize Outstanding Educators. As a Foundation, we have the chance to read nominations that principals and staff and students and parents and peers put together. So, we actually get to learn about what these Outstanding Educators are doing in their classroom, the impact they're having with their school and with students in terms of their testing and the impact that they're having each and every year through their nominations.

Anthony Godfrey:
We get to see the families come, families are invited to supporting their teachers, talk about that.

Jenna Miller:
Yes, this is the best. So all of these visits are kept as a surprise. But the principal reaches out to family members to let them know that this special award will be given and they coordinate with family to make it a large surprise. People fly in from out of state. There's family members, friends, sisters, cousins, as well as their peers in the school. It makes the party even better to have the people that you love there to celebrate you.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's really an amazing experience to be able to see a teacher honored in this way. And there's no way it can happen without the Foundation. So we really can't thank you enough for your leadership and for all the work that the Foundation Board members do and our sponsors do to make these awards possible.

Jenna Miller:
Yes, we are so grateful for our sponsors, for the community support that we receive from businesses and individuals that want to support Outstanding Educators in our District. And it does impact our schools and our District overall, and we're grateful for this opportunity.

Anthony Godfrey: :
It's a huge morale boost, not just for those getting the award, but it feels good to be in a District that has this community support and the Foundation really provides that in a way that I don't think anyone else in this state benefits from. So we're really thrilled to have you and to have the Foundation be so involved in who we are as a District.

Jenna Miller:
Well, thank you. Yes, we have four staff and 32 volunteer community members that give up their time, their talents, their treasure to all support educators and students in our District.

Anthony Godfrey:
Any moments or stories from this year in particular that stand out for you?

Jenna Miller:
Well, one of the things that we love, especially on Bus Day, is to get to recognize our Principal of the Year. And that's something we got to do today at Aspen Elementary School. Principal Susie Williams, who has had amazing impact on this school, but also the community that her school resides in. Susie does a great job and it was such a privilege and honor to recognize her as the Principal of the Year.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for everything you're doing.

Jenna Miller:
Thank you.

[APPLAUSE]

Male Voice:
We are here to recognize Ms. Heckman as Copper Hills Outstanding Educator of the Year.

[APPLAUSE]

Female Voice:
It was really powerful enough to just go and do that for a lot of people, appreciate all the hard work you do. Sorry.

Male Voice:
So we are really fortunate to work with a great group of people. Look at all the people that are here to support you today. But we get nice donations from the community to help support our educators. They want us to let you know that you're loved and appreciated.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with Ryan Gregerson, the newest member of the Jordan Education Foundation Board. Introduce yourself and tell us what it's been like to jump in right before teacher awards like this.

Ryan Gregerson:
It was like the best timing ever. So I'm an attorney in town, have a law firm in South Jordan. I grew up in Jordan School District going to all the schools in Jordan School District and also the son of an educator. My dad was an elementary school teacher for 40 plus years. My mom was a lunch lady. My sister's a teacher. So education's super important to me, and it was just such an honor to be on the Board. And the best time ever to start being on the Board and get to see all these amazing educators getting these awards.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, it's so fun and it means a lot to have members of the community come back and you have a ton of education connections. We have a connection as well. You were my student in middle school many years ago.

Ryan Gregerson:
Yes, indeed.

Anthony Godfrey:
And a very memorable one in all the right ways.

Ryan Gregerson:
Yeah, it was great. Honestly, we talk and I tell everybody this even when Dr. Godfrey's not here, but in eighth grade and ninth grade, he was the favorite teacher. Everybody loved being in his class. He was the cool teacher, had a band that he played in. Had him for English in eighth grade, French in ninth grade. Great memories of last year of being a middle school up in Copperton.Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Ryan Gregerson:
That had ever existed and then we got to open up West Hills Middle School, which was also super fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
We shut it down together.

Ryan Gregerson:
We did, we did.

Anthony Godfrey:
Talk to me about how you have felt as you have seen and been a part of honoring these teachers at various schools.

Ryan Gregerson:
What's been really special for me is it's in part, I always kind of see it like it's also my dad. Because he sacrificed a lot to be a teacher and to raise our family and to do all the things that he did for his students. So seeing these same sacrifices be recognized by amazing teachers, inspiring kids, is just so personally special to me to see that recognition happening and to be inspired by them.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, it means a lot to have you on the Foundation Board. We love that you're part of it. What would you say to those who are thinking about being involved either through a donation or by serving on the Board?

Ryan Gregerson:
I mean, there's so many things that are great about what the Foundation does. With the South Valley Chamber last year, we had the opportunity to do a fundraiser to be able to provide more for the pantry packs. It was something I didn't even know existed that through the school district and the Foundation, that students who don't have sometimes a meal over the weekend or over a holiday, that there's something that actually can be done to help give these meals to them. That there are actually students in this D...

Episode 342: Community Volunteers, The Secret to Celebrating JSD “Outstanding Educators”