Madison Consolidated Schools announces District Teacher of the Year.

MJHS Science teacher, Mrs. Kerri Bedingham

“On Thursday, Madison Junior High School was the place to be,” states Dr. Jeff Studebaker, Superintendent. “Our team had the honor to deliver the District Teacher of the Year to MJHS.”

MJHS Science teacher, Mrs. Kerri Bedingham, was honored as the District Teacher of the Year. Kerri has been in the classroom for 25 years, first at Scottsburg Middle School from 1992 - 2002 and joined the MJHS team in 2002. She has taught 6th grade math, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grade science and Biology. Kerri has been an advisor for the MJHS Peer Counselors since 2007, has been a member of the River Roots executive committee for 10 years, is a member of the Women’s Giving Circle and Bethany Circle, is a avid supporter of Girls, Inc. and is passionately involved with community suicide prevention initiatives and youth in crisis mentoring opportunities. In her spare time, Kerri is active in her church, loves spending time with her four granddaughters, traveling, playing her guitar, and planting flowers and herbs.

The Teacher of the Year is determined through a process of peer and parent nominations and a scored, in-depth rubric which mirrors state-level criteria for the Indiana Teacher of the Year selection. Selection criteria includes: inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn, has respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues, plays an active and useful role in the community and school, is poised, articulate, and energetic with the ability to withstand a taxing schedule, and demonstrates innovative teaching practices in classroom and continuing personal development.

Some of the nominations included:

- “Kerri is equipping our youth with skills,she teaches respect, caring, honesty, and tolerance.”

- “She is a teacher of life skills.”

- “The best thing is that each young person in contact with her becomes a better person for having known her.”

- “She pushes them to their fullest abilities with such a kind hearted approach where each child in her classroom understands and know they are important!”

- “She also wants and appreciates parent involvement and always go above and beyond when approached with a question or concern from home.”

- “I simply cannot say enough about how amazing she is as a teacher, person, and community member!”

“Kerri is an excellent example of what teaching is today. She arrives daily with ridiculous passion and energy, embraces the opportunity to differentiate her curriculum, and seeks out ways to incorporate technology to keep science lively and interactive,” shares Jill Mires, Principal. “She works tirelessly to ensure she is reaching each and every student. She truly understands that each student learns differently and has the ability to deliver her content in various ways through different teaching methods, using various resources and technology, and is personally invested in each child’s success.”

Congratulations to Kerri on her outstanding work for students each day! Kerri will go on to represent Madison Consolidated Schools as a candidate for the state-level Teacher of the Year Award.