Truman Middle School’s Melissa Wagoner was recently selected as a 2025 Special School District Key to the Classroom honoree. 

The Key to the Classroom award honors teachers for their exceptional skills, dedication, and success in teaching students of all abilities and backgrounds. Ten teachers from across the St. Louis area were selected for the award this year, with Wagoner alone representing the South County area.

“I am truly honored to receive recognition for the efforts of our essential skills program at Truman Middle School,” Wagoner said. “It is gratifying to be part of a campus that values and supports the diversity within my classroom, as well as the programs we have developed. I deeply appreciate the acknowledgment from my peers regarding our work, and it was very neat to hear their perspectives on our classroom experiences.”

Wagoner’s Truman SSD colleagues, Shannon Morley and Stacey Kozlowski, said she consistently brings learning to life through creative, hands-on experiences that engage and inspire her students.

Daily, Wagoner integrates life skills into the classroom, from teaching kitchen safety and cleanliness routines to civic engagement activities like mock elections that foster a sense of responsibility and community involvement. She also launched the Truman Coffee Cart, allowing students to build social and customer service skills while gaining confidence in real-world tasks like managing orders and handling transactions.

“We are so proud to recognize you as a Key to the Classroom award winner for 2025,” Joy Doyle, director of special education at Lindbergh Schools, stated in a press release. “Thank you for being such an inspirational teacher for our students with significant needs and yet boundless potential.”