MAY 2023 36 By Mallory Gleich and Cassie Hepler For the past 60 years, the Scottsdale Charros organization has presented SUSD educators with the Outstanding Teacher of the Year award. The Charros are a philanthropic organization of volunteers who partner with business and civic leaders to raise funds to support Scottsdale’s youth, education and economy while preserving the city’s heritage. “We are proud to support SUSD. Teachers are the important difference- makers that inspire our students to achieve greater heights than they ever imagined,” Education Committee Chairman John Arnold said. “It is now more important than ever that we do what we can to support this valuable asset to the community.” Every year, school staff and principals from each school select one educator to receive the honor, a monetary award and a personalized plaque. This year’s 33 SUSD educators – and two students – were recognized at the annual Education Awards in April. Meet the Arcadia area winners: Jean Leiphart Arcadia High Leiphart teaches junior and senior English at AHS. She started as a student teacher in 2005. “I love teaching. It is truly my calling. I appreciate the diversity of Arcadia’s student body and embrace the variety,” Leiphart said. “My husband always tells new acquaintances that ‘my bride has never had a bad day at work,’ and that is so true. I am grateful for this opportunity every day.” “Mrs. Leiphart cares a lot about teaching but even more about her students. She holds them to high standards and encourages them to reach their goals. When things get hard, she notices and is willing to work with students individually,” Principal Janelle Danskey said. “Jean is also one of the friendliest teachers on campus. Her positivity makes Arcadia a great place to work and learn.” AHS also had two students win the Charros Student of the Year award. Anya Kleinlein Arcadia High senior Anya works in a neurology lab at Barrow Neurological Institute as the only high school intern. She was one of 68 students to receive a full scholarship to study in Rome, is president of the Bring Change to Mind Club and was also on the board of Childhelp. “I am honored to be chosen by the Arcadia faculty, who are truly interested in the success of each student. I’m so thankful for having the opportunity to take advanced classes. More importantly, I’ve had the chance to learn about myself and the world through interaction with the student body,” Anya said. Henry Ord Arcadia High senior Henry Ord stands out as a top student and leader, according to Principal Danskey. “His academic achievements are excellent, and even when he was a first-year student, it was clear that he is motivated by an innate desire to learn and better himself. Henry is reliable and extremely hardworking. He also treats his classmates with respect,” she said. Henry plans on attending a summer term at Brigham Young University before leaving on a two-year church mission in the fall. Shaleta Chatman Angelyn Chasse Echo Canyon Fifth-grade teacher Shaleta Chatman and sixth-grade teacher Angelyn Chasse were honored this year. “I always wanted to be a teacher. I remember being in elementary school and gathering the neighborhood kids to teach them letter sounds and basic addition. I guess it was just in me from the beginning,” Chatman said. Her nomination form mentioned creative lesson plans, knowledge of the curriculum and respect from everyone that enters the classroom: “Shaleta has brought a fresh perspective to a large class of fifth graders. Ms. Chatman commands respect and control of her classroom and has expectations that all students will work hard and excel. Her students work to match her expectations and are more attentive to achieving.” Sixth-grade teacher Angelyn Chasse has been teaching for 17 years. Her fifth- grade and high school English teachers inspired her to become an educator. Laura Mitchell Hopi Elementary Currently teaching fifth-grade for her ninth year at Hopi, Laura Mitchell has been in the profession for 21 years. “Laura is a teacher who goes above and beyond for our students to ensure a child’s education,” Principal Anne Plenkovich said. “She oversees our Hopi Spelling Bee, Student Council, Math Olympiad, Rocket Science, the fifth- grade STEM grant, and more.” Mitchell is also a girl scout troop leader for her daughters and volunteers at Ingleside and Arcadia. “I love getting to be with kids all day. They are entertaining and so full of promise and potential,” Mitchell said. “It is such an honor that my fellow teachers chose me. They are all such dedicated, hardworking people, and I feel so lucky to teach with them.” Christina Clasby Ingleside Middle School Seventh-grade math teacher Christina Clasby was nominated for her continued excellence in and out of the classroom. “Christina’s class is welcoming and focused. She believes in the success of every student and works with both them and parents to ensure they all meet their potential,” Principal Junior Michael said. “I am immensely humbled to have received the Teacher of the Year Award. This honor comes from being a teacher in a classroom where I can help students apply an understanding of math to their everyday lives,” Clasby said. “It is a privilege to be a part of the Ingleside faculty, where building rapport with students and providing an atmosphere with mutual respect is important. The high morale environment and the meaningful relationships I’ve established put the joy in teaching.” Charity Olson Tavan Elementary School According to her nominations, Speech Pathologist Charity Olson “immediately stepped into her role of meeting the needs of many varied learners from multiple grade levels. She did so with grace and leadership. She partnered with the kindergarten team to help provide training, resources, and tools to support the students’ communication, articulation, and phonemic awareness. Charity is an amazing teacher who can reach even the most diverse students on our campus. We are fortunate to have her, as are our students and their families.” “When I discovered I was selected Charros Teacher of the Year, I was shocked. This is only my second year working at Tavan. I am technically not even a teacher!” Olson said. “So many fabulous teachers were nominated, and the fact that my peers and colleagues selected me as Teacher of the Year was both an honor and a privilege. I will continue to work hard and do my best to be a valued member of the team.” Jean Leiphart Angelyn Chasse Anya Kleinlein Laura Mitchell Henry Ord Christina Clasby Shaleta Chatman Charity Olson Outstanding Scottsdale Unified educators receive top honors