Lee’s Summit R-7 Teacher of Year believes in the power of fun through music, sports

While the teacher of the year award is usually presented at an in-person reception, this year’s awardees joined in a Zoom meeting. The recorded announcement is available for view on the Lee’s Summit R-7 website.

Every Friday during seven weeks of virtual learning, Mr. K’s Magical Music Show has given Longview Farm Elementary students a silly romp through woodwinds, percussion, dance and rhythm. He and his sheltered-in-place family attempt to make music fun, and keep connected with students.

The show is consistent with how the 2020 Lee’s Summit R-7 School District’s teacher of the year, Matthew Ketteman, shows his dedication to students.

Ketteman, who teaches music, tries to make his students feel safe and connected to each other every day in the classroom.

“I feel like my job is not to create the best singer, but to take fear out of the equation, and open up possibilities at that young age. Then I can send them on to middle school and high school where they can blossom and grow,” Ketteman said.

Ketteman is also the head archery coach for the school’s Olympic style archery program. While he didn’t start the archery program, Ketteman believes in the power of the sport to provide some of the same advantages to students he offers in music class: inclusion and the opportunity to belong.

“My number one job is to keep them safe, and once they are safe, we can have fun to do. I try to make my room exciting and fun because I know music is not everyone’s first love, but whether you are naturally talented or not, everyone can use music,” Ketteman said.

Inclusion is very important to Ketteman. He has an older brother with intellectual disabilities, and believes part of his job is to work hard for every child to feel comfortable and safe. He tries to comfort students with his virtual learning show.

“The power of the show and being in front of the camera shows kids we’re still having fun. We’re reminding them we are still in this together. We are feeling the same feelings everyone else is too, even if we are feeling them apart,” Ketteman said.

Lee’s Summit R-7 and the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce partner each year to honor 12 district teachers with Excellence in Teaching Awards. Three others are named Teachers of Distinction. All 15 are usually surprised with a classroom-visit announcement of their win and are eligible to become Teacher of the Year. A reception at Longview Mansion for all honorees has traditionally been the location for the big Teacher of the Year announcement.

Those in-person celebrations couldn’t happen this year. So, the awards committee had to come up with a unique way to make the teachers still feel special. Director of partners in education and library media services for Lee’s Summit R-7, Laura Maxwell, says they decided to do a huge yard sign announcement.

“We partnered with Sign Gypsies. They put signs out in the middle of the night. Part of the fun was coming up with 15 different messages for the teachers,” Maxwell said.

Response to the large yard signs was very positive from the teachers and the community.

“It’s been really encouraging to see that while our methodology is alternative because of the circumstances, I think the celebration is a little sweeter than a normal year,” Maxwell said.

The honored teachers gathered on a Zoom meeting for the Teacher of the Year announcement. Ketteman didn’t expect to win. One of the advantages of the Zoom announcement? Getting to watch it over and over again. The recorded Zoom announcement is on the district website for viewing.

“My family and I watched it again last night, and you can see I was super shocked this honor came my way,” Ketteman said.

The 12 Lee’s Summit R-7 School District educators named Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce Excellence In Teaching award winners were Nori Baker, Woodland Elementary School; Marcella Briggs, Hawthorn Hill Elementary School; Peggy Chandler, Summit Technology Academy; Lara Cole, Lee’s Summit West High School; Terry Durnell, Lee’s Summit North High School; Connie Ficken, Lee’s Summit High School; Andrew Hookie, Sunset Valley Elementary School; April Jackson, Prairie View Elementary School; Matthew Ketteman, Longview Farm Elementary School; Niki Stanley, Pleasant Lea Middle School; Angie Thurmond, Pleasant Lea Elementary School; and Molly Williamson, Lee’s Summit Elementary School.

Three Teachers of Distinction include educators who have previously won the Excellence in Teaching award and continue to provide outstanding service to their students. This year’s Teachers of Distinction are Linda Driskill, Cedar Creek Elementary; Jamie Harrell, Hawthorn Hill Elementary School, and Melinda Moylan, Hazel Grove Elementary School.

The Excellence In Teaching and Teacher of Distinction recipients were selected by a committee composed of representatives from the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce, the business community and R-7 staff members. Teachers received a $250 grant for their classrooms. An in-person reception is still planned after bans on large group gatherings are lifted.

This story was originally published May 26, 2020 at 12:00 AM.