For the third year in a row, a teacher from the Bayless School District has been selected as a Regional Teacher of the Year. Earlier this month, Tamara Simmons — a choir teacher with seven years under her belt at Bayless — was notified that she’d received the honor. She was one of only 34 teachers recognized across the state; 10 of those came from the St. Louis area. 

“I was so excited. I was honored,” Simmons said. “There are so many good educators in our state, and I know, just in my community, there are many. I can only imagine throughout the state how many there are. So to be selected as one of those regional teachers of the year was kind of mind-blowing.”

Simmons teaches five choirs: two middle school classes, two high school classes and one extracurricular choir for advanced high school students. Not only does she teach, but she also organizes concerts, out-of-state trips, community performances in nursing homes and an annual performance at the alumni Oktoberfest event. 

She says it keeps her busy.

“The kids are great,” Simmons said. “We have a lot of fun, we make mistakes, we laugh. We continuously create.”

In March, Simmons found out she was named Teacher of the Year for Bayless High School — an honor she was also awarded in 2022. By April, she had been named the Teacher of the Year for the entire district. From there, she wrote a series of essays and uploaded a resume to the competition’s platform to be considered for the regional teacher stage.

Simmons’ application to be considered for Missouri Teacher of the Year was due on July 28. This included another series of essays, as well as letters of support from district administration.

“Tamara Simmons exemplifies what it means to be a truly impactful educator,” Bayless superintendent Amy Ruzicka said. “Her passion for music, commitment to excellence and deep care for students shine through in everything she does.”

As Simmons turns her eyes toward the 2025-26 school year — which will officially begin on Aug. 18 — she anticipates a great term ahead. She admits that her recent recognitions have given her “a boost” as the first day of school inches upward on the calendar. 

The upcoming school year also marks a change for Simmons. Because of her unique position teaching both middle and high schoolers, she can teach students for seven years if they stick with the choir program from start to finish. The graduating class of 2025 was her first group of seniors that she had taught since they were in sixth grade.

“It was bittersweet,” Simmons said. “They were ready to graduate, but I don’t know a Bayless without them. This next year will be brand new, in a way, because they’re not there. But I know they’ll go on to do great things.”

According to Simmons, this recognition as Regional Teacher of the Year isn’t just an honor for herself, but also for the “fantastic group” of fine arts teachers that she works alongside, day after day.

“(It) is really a shout-out to them as well, because we all work together,” she said.