Congratulations to our Middle and High School Teachers of the Year!
Congratulations to the 2026 MCSS Teachers of the Year
MCSS Elementary SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Ashley Hill, Bertha Knox Gilkey Pamoja
Preparatory Academy @ Cole
Ashley Hill consistently goes above and beyond what is required of her role, and she does it with intention, heart, and a deep commitment to her students. She intentionally embeds social studies into her lessons every single day, even in spaces where it might be easy to overlook. She understands that social studies is not an “extra,” but a foundation for critical thinking, cultural awareness, and civic responsibility. Ashley is especially commendable for her commitment to ensuring African-American students see themselves reflected in the curriculum. She makes a conscious effort to teach African-American history alongside the history of other civilizations, helping students develop a broader and more accurate understanding of the world. This work is not performative — it is consistent, thoughtful, and woven naturally into her instruction.
Ashley is deeply invested in her students as whole children. She makes time to ensure all of her students receive an adequate education across all subjects, often staying late or extending herself beyond the school day. As a mentor teacher, she models best practices, professionalism, and compassion, setting a standard for others to follow.
Ashley Hill is the kind of educator who quietly but powerfully changes the trajectory of students’ lives. Her dedication, leadership, and passion for social studies truly set her apart and make her more than deserving of this recognition.
MCSS MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Kim Greer, Nevada Middle School
Kim Greer is everything you want in both a colleague, a teacher, and an advocate for social studies education. Every time you walk into her classroom, students are engaged in meaningful and important work centered on primary sources, historical inquiry, and critical thinking about the past, present, and future. There are no “free days” in her classroom because she values both the opportunity and responsibility of preparing the next generation of citizens to be thoughtful and empathetic problem solvers for the world. She is a lifelong learner who continues to seek out workshops and seminars to hone her craft, despite having taught for over 20 years. She leads others in her department well and is a great collaborator, often picking up the slack or pitching in to go above and beyond for her peers. She can often be observed sharing new ideas and strategies she has picked up not only with the social studies department but other teachers in the building. In addition, she collaborates with numerous local organizations, including the VFW, DAR, and the local Bushwhacker Museum, to create hands-on, real-life experiences for her students. Kim Greer would be an outstanding representative of middle school social studies teachers across the state as your 2026 MCSS Teacher of the Year.
MCSS HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Brooke Rich, Lafayette High School
(St. Joseph)
Brooke was my student and then my colleague as I taught next door to her for seven years. She was a team player in the department and I could always depend on her to complete her duties on the administrative side of education diligently. She has grown to be an excellent teacher and is great with building relationships with students.
Additionally, I have witnessed Brooke develop several activities to engage students, especially in American history. She developed an activity to have students invent products and attempt to sell others on their concepts similar to a trade show. She created an assembly line project to demonstrate both the advantages to production costs and disadvantages to workers during the Industrial Revolution. I have overheard students participating in the activity change their career path as a result of the project. She also has students create a cultural walk in which students create a display and demonstrate various aspects of cultures they are not familiar with, having students teach each other traditions of those cultures.
I could go on for pages with examples of Brooke’s competitive nature and dedication for her education, but know I must bring this recommendation to a close at some point. This past year I had the opportunity to retire from Missouri. I felt more comfortable doing that because I knew Brooke could fill my role as department chairperson and lead other teachers to becoming better educators in their own right. She is the most exceptionally dedicated student and now teacher I have ever known. Any endeavor Brooke Rich aspires to is an investment in society with the impact she is destined to make with the next generation of students.