Tomahawk Elementary fourth grade teacher, Gayla Posch, was nominated by her building colleagues as a candidate for Olathe Public School's 2014 elementary teacher of the year last fall. Olathe is a district of 23,000 students.
On Nov. 6, 2013 a district committee narrowed nominations by choosing three highly qualified elementary educators as semi-finalists in the state wide award program.
The semi-finalists were then videotaped in an interview and while teaching. Following this, the selection committee met on December 9th to select one district finalist and Gayla Posch was selected as the 2014 Kansas Teacher of the Year nominee for the Olathe Public Schools, and will now submit an application to the Kansas State Department of Education in the spring for Kansas Elementary Teacher of the Year.
Gayla Posch considers her fourth-grade students to be little banks that she invests her time in, and reaps the benefits when she asks for their attention and enthusiasm in return.
"My greatest accomplishment has to be the relationships I've built with my students and their families," said the 14 year district educator. She often attends her students' games, recitals and other events and loves hearing about and from former students who say she had an impact on their lives.
Gayla DeBok Posch is the daughter of David and Shari DeBok of Russell, granddaughter of Jo and Charles DeBok of Boone and Helen and the late Floyd Coulson of Russell. She was a 1995 graduate of Russell High School and received her Bachelors of Education and Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Mid America Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas, and received an ELL endorsement through Kansas State University. Gayla and her husband, Jason, 6 year old daughter Addie and 3 year old daughter Jordyn live in Gardner, Kansas.
