Special education teacher honored as Mitchell's Teacher of the Year ...

• Teacher of the Year

Ardis Beck, center, Mitchell School District?s Teacher of the Year, receives a hug from fellow nominee Kathy Budahl, right, at the school district?s Employee Recognition Banquet at Dakota Wesleyan University?s Sherman Center on Wednesday. (Ross Dolan/Republic)

Smiling and occasionally fighting back tears, 34-year teaching veteran Ardis Beck accepted her district?s highest honor Wednesday as its ?Teacher of the Year.?

Beck, who teaches special education at L.B. Williams Elementary School, was honored with a standing ovation at the Mitchell School District?s 30th annual Employee Recognition Banquet at Dakota Wesleyan University?s Sherman Center.

?I?m very honored to have been chosen Teacher of the Year,? she said. ?I?ve always been in the trenches and I never thought this would happen.?

Other nominees ? all Teachers of the Year at their individual schools ? were Kathy Budahl, Gertie Belle Rogers; Justin Zajic, Mitchell Middle School; Tricia Neugebauer, Mitchell High School; and Megan Neuharth, Longfellow Elementary School.

This year?s banquet, which was emceed by Mitchell City Council member Greg McCurry, had as its theme ?A Star Polisher,? a reference to a poem by Leah Becks that explains the role of a teacher is to buff and polish students into shining stars.

In a brief acceptance speech, Beck turned the equation around and thanked family members ? husband Morris and daughters Nicole and Melissa ? friends and colleagues who supported her professionally and personally and helped her star to shine.

?I love it as much today as when I started in the district,? she said. ?I always get at least two belly laughs a day. This is the best job anyone could have.?

Beck, 56, has been a Mitchell teacher since 1979, when she was hired as a special education teacher at Mitchell Middle School. She also worked at other district schools and Longfellow, the old Eugene Field, colony schools and private schools. She has been a member of the L.B. Williams faculty since the school opened.

Prior to her time in Mitchell, Beck worked for the Parkston School District as a Title 1 teacher at the Dimock school. She is a 1977 graduate of Northern State University, Aberdeen, where she majored in elementary education and special education. She also earned a master?s degree in elementary administration at Northern State.

Beck?s selection as Mitchell?s Teacher of the Year also qualifies her for state competition. Middle school math teacher Pat Moller, last year?s winner, went on to be named South Dakota?s Teacher of the Year.

Retiring district teaching and support staff honored at the banquet were Mark Budahl, Linda Case, Dennis Fletman, Jocy Huck, Diane Padrnos, Jan Raml, Grant Uecker and Linda Wosje.

Employees recognized for long-time service in the district: 40 years, Larry Larson; 30 years: Damon Bartscher, Angie Neugebauer, Nancy Osterloo, Cheryl Phillips, Jim Puetz and Margo Taylor; 25 years: Renee Berg, Tom Berg, Linda Doescher, Andrea Hart, Arend Kuyper, Arla Runyon and Renea Schoenfelder; 20 years: Brad Berens, Kathy Budahl, Donna DeNure, Laurie Kenworthy, Bruce Mastel, Julie Olson, Bob Pollard, Sandy Sheets, John Sieverding, Jean Starr, Shane Thill and Vicki Wiese; 15 years: Karla Koons, Mark Munsen, Tom Nelson, Lisa Neugebauer, Mel Range, Terri Taylor and Lynne Triebwasser.

Tags: news,?updates,?education,?teaching,?teachers

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