Teacher and Support Staff of the Year
Each year, Pattonville School District names two staff to the highest honor — the Teacher of the Year and the Support Staff Employee of the Year. These two staff members represent the district for the entire year. They participate in the homecoming parade, speak to new staff and help name their successor. In addition to a district honoree, three finalists are named and each school — including a district services group for support staff in other buildings — selects a building-level honoree who advances to the district competition as a semi-finalist. The awards recognize staff for their hard work and dedication to Pattonville's students.
Process
- Students, staff, family members and people from the Pattonville community nominate staff for the Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year programs.
- Each school selects a building-level Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year. Additionally, staff from non-school buildings select a Support Staff of the Year for the district services group which is composed of transportation, maintenance, printing and Learning Center employees. To select each building-level honoree, employees receive a ballot with the names of eligible nominees from their building and will vote to determine each building-level winner, who will become semi-finalists for the district honor.
- Information provided by those semi-finalists will be reviewed by a selection committee, which will choose three finalists to be interviewed for the district honor.
- All finalists and semifinalists are recognized during District Appreciation Night in May, at which time the district honorees for Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year are named.
2025 Honorees
Teacher of the Year
Julie Linck, Fourth Grade Teacher at the Academy of Innovation at Remington
Julie Linck continues to grow as an educator while staying grounded in three guiding principles: relationships, engagement and reflection. She prioritizes building strong connections with students and families from the start. Linck sends personal welcome letters and hosts in-person conferences during the first week of school to learn more about each student. Her involvement in school events helps strengthen these relationships beyond the classroom.
“Building strong relationships early in the year lays a positive foundation for learning,” she said.
Linck empowers students to take ownership of their learning and explore ideas. A classroom discussion once sparked a project to repair a little library, ultimately leading to raising funds for the Maryland Heights Police Department. She also helped launch Remington’s Rock Your School event. Linck’s ultimate goal is to build confident, capable learners. She promotes a growth mindset and encourages students to celebrate progress, reflect on challenges and take pride in their achievements.
“My philosophy will continue to evolve,” she said. “But what will remain constant is my excitement for what lies ahead in education.”
Linck is committed to professional growth, having earned National Board Certification and participated in Pattonville’s first Personalized Learning Cohort (PLC). She values collaboration, especially through co-teaching and PLCs, and uses data and student reflection to guide instruction. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in early childhood education.
Support Staff of the Year
Minako Baczynski, Paraprofessional at Drummond Elementary School
Minako Baczynski is a paraprofessional at Drummond Elementary School who brings both a global perspective and a deep personal commitment to student growth. She earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies and political science from the University of Kansas before discovering a passion for education through tutoring international high school students. Now at Drummond, she supports students in kindergarten through fifth grade with reading skills.
“Education leads to opportunities in the future and reading is fundamental part of it,” she said.
Baczynski customizes lessons for each group and helps students build comprehension skills, vocabulary and confidence, always pushing them to actively engage with what they read. She also uses her background to foster cultural awareness, sharing her experiences from growing up in Japan and decorating her classroom with world maps and flags, helping students connect with the larger world.
“My goal is for them to have broad perspectives and know that there is a big world out there with unlimited opportunities,” she said. “I hope when current Drummond students move to middle school and high school, they reflect on what they have learned, share their perspectives and bring positive outcomes to the entire district."
As both an educator and a Pattonville parent, Baczynski feels personally connected to the district’s mission. She values the supportive environment at Drummond and the relationships she builds with students. Whether leading a reading group or simply greeting students in the hall, she is proud to play a part in their academic and personal success.
Teacher of the Year Finalists
Support Staff of the Year Finalists
Semi-Finalists
Building Teachers of the Year
Erika Dietrich, Early Childhood Teacher, Pattonville Early Childhood Center
Tara Perks, Second Grade Teacher, Bridgeway Elementary School
Kelsey Magee, Special Education Teacher, Parkwood Elementary School
Lillian Corzine, Special Education Teacher, Rose Acres Elementary School
Christy Newsham, Counselor, Willow Brook Elementary School
Matthew Loyet, History Teacher, Holman Middle School
Rachel Woodson, Librarian, Pattonville Heights Middle School
Building Support Staff of the Year
Brittany Stevens, Paraprofessional, Pattonville Early Childhood Center
Susan Peroutka, Special Education Speech Pathologist, Bridgeway Elementary School
Sharon White, Special Education Paraprofessional, Parkwood Elementary School
Tammy Mathes, Executive Secretary, Willow Brook Elementary School
Debra Johnson, Special Education Paraprofessional, Academy of Innovation at Remington
Betty Nelson, Nurse, Holman Middle School
Steven Aversa, Lead Custodian, Pattonville Heights Middle School
Tamika Duncan, Executive Secretary, Pattonville High School
Building Teachers and Support Staff of the Year Surprises
Honor Roll of Previous Recipients
Teacher of the Year
1985-1986 — Margaret Steinheimer **
1986-1987 — Frank Gallagher
1987-1988 — Becky Hicks Kruse
1988-1989 — Mary Ann Goldberg
1989-1990 — Barbara Weekley
1990-1991 — Peggy Koelling**
1991-1992 — Nancy Sebastian
1992-1993 — Cynthia Kalkwarf***
1993-1994 — Jo Ellen Leeke
1994-1995 — Gloria Fox
1995-1996 — Randy Pierce
1996-1997 — Lisa Zangriles**
1997-1998 — Kathy Oster
1998-1999 — Jan Davenport
1999-2000 — Carol Craig
2000-2001 — Valerie Maxwell***
2001-2002 — Kerry Brown
2002-2003 — Michelle Wagner**
2003-2004 — Dennis McFarland
2004-2005 — Amy White-Taylor**
2005-2006 — Dixie Tipton
2006-2007 — Kevin Beckner
2007-2008 — Christopher Benbow
2008-2009 — Diane Richardson
2009-2010 — Phyllis Pasley
2010-2011 — Julie Kampschroeder
2011-2012 — Tracey Robinson
2012-2013 — Abigail Williams
2013-2014 — Beth Moritz
2014-2015 — Sarah Collins
2015-2016 — Yulia Kotets**
2016-2017 — Allison Stout*
2017-2018 — Dr. Dana Burns
2018-2019 — Amy Schwendemann
2019-2020 — Dan Derby
2020-2021 — Eleanor Taylor **
2021-2022 — Leslie Jones
2022-2023 — Brittany Garcia
2023-2024 — Audrey Masek
* Regional winner (introduced in 2016)
** State finalist
*** Missouri Teacher of the Year
Support Staff of the Year
1994-1995 — Nancy Greenblatt
1995-1996 — Kim Miller
1996-1997 — Nancy Henley
1997-1998 — Linda Shofner
1998-1999 — Cindy Boddy
1999-2000 — Charles Stanton
2000-2001 — Sandra Hampton
2001-2002 — Marilyn Baker
2002-2003 — Rommel McDonald
2003-2004 — Kay Sullivan
2004-2005 — Teresa Jercinovic
2005-2006 — Kristin Powell
2006-2007 — Charles Roach
2007-2008 — Joyce Bowdish
2008-2009 — Toby Meyer
2009-2010 — Julie Purviance
2010-2011 — Judy Zahner
2011-2012 — Luis Miranda
2012-2013 — Glennora Genail
2013-2014 — Larrie Bell
2014-2015 — Mike Siebe
2015-2016 — Joan Knight
2016-2017 — Ardella M. Diggs
2017-2018 — Joe Gutierrez
2018-2019 — Tron Williams
2019-2020 — Andrea Baldwin
2020-2021 — Lisa Foust
2021-2022 — Erica Abowitz
2022-2023 — Jenny McDowell
2023-2024 — Anaisabel Garofalo