Long Elementary School third-grade teacher Tim Waters was selected as the district Teacher of the Year in April by EducationPlus and the St. Louis Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC), as well as Missouri Regional Teacher of the Year.
“When you look up the definition of an exemplary teacher, he checks all those boxes,” Lindbergh Schools Superintendent Tony Lake stated in a press release. “The one thing I really love about Mr. Waters, is that every time you see him, he always has an infectious smile. He has that presence about him that makes you feel good about yourself.”
Waters has 14 years of experience teaching elementary education, eight of which have been at Long Elementary. He serves on Long’s Building Leadership Team, is co-adviser of the Long Service Club and sponsors a “Traveling Cafe.” Districtwide, he has served as a member of the Report Card Task Force and Lindbergh Learning Team, is a Teacher’s Academy Fellow, and piloted the Benchmark Advance and Benchmark Workshop literacy program.
“Waters embodies the essence of an exemplary educator,” Christina Phillips, Long Elementary School principal, stated. “He is tirelessly dedicated to nurturing student success with unwavering commitment.”
In his own class this year, Waters created a “Third Grade Cereal Box Challenge” to kick off a math unit on graphing, while also providing students with an opportunity to serve the community by collecting food items for those in need.
“I believe in the transformative power of education, and this is deeply ingrained in my approach to teaching,” Waters said. “Teaching is about more than disseminating information. It is about igniting curiosity and fostering growth.”
Waters was one of 10 teachers from the area awarded the St. Louis Regional 2024 Teacher of the Year. The other nine honorees include:
- Nicole Renee Ashray, Francis Howell R-III School District
- Molly Clince, Rockwood R-VI School District
- Courtney Duffy, Bayless School District
- Beth Griffin, Fox C-6 School District
- Thomas L. Harper, Jr., Mehlville R-IX School District
- Jennifer Kist, Fort Zumwalt R-II School District
- Hester Menier, Wentzville R-III School District
- Staci L. Venatta, Northwest R-I School District
- LTC (R) Darrell M. Gray, Ferguson Florissant School District
The honorees now have the opportunity to submit their applications to the Missouri State Teacher of the Year program, where the winner will be announced by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in October.
Recommended: Mehlville High School’s Tom Harper named Missouri Regional Teacher of the Year