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The 20-year veteran of the Winona school has taught first, second and third grades. He was also nominated by the union for the Teacher of the Year award given out by Education Minnesota, the statewide teachers union. If he wins, he will be the second teacher from Winona to be presented with the statewide award. The first was Thomas Stoltman, who won in 1973.
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Teacher Luke Merchlewitz points to a word on Parker Hawkinson’s paper during a spelling quiz Friday in his second grade class at Washington-Kosciusko Elementary School. Merchlewitz was named Teacher of the Year after 20 years of teaching at W-K and is nominated for MInnesota Teacher of the Year.
(Photo by Melissa Carlo/Winona Daily News) |
The union typically announces the award’s winner at a November reception, but the award was presented at a pep rally for the Winona Senior High School football team at the elementary school to surprise Merchlewitz, who has a tendency to “find out about everything” according to Bruce Ramsdell, co-president of the union.
“(Merchlewitz) is everything to every teacher,” he said. “He gets more done in an hour than most do in a day, and that’s before the sun comes up.”
Washington-Kosciusko principal Judy Davis pointed to Merchlewtiz’s efforts in and out of the classroom to involve the community. He’s often the first one to arrive at school in the morning, and he works some Saturdays and in the summer with his students and their parents, she said.
“He has his heart and soul in Washington-Kosciusko,” she said. “He’s always excited and up about something in the school.”
The long and early hours can be draining, but he keeps his energy up with a steady diet of “M&M’s and Diet Coke,” Merchlewitz said. So do his students, co-workers and Winona residents.
“I think it reaffirms the importance of my career decisions,” he said of the award. “I believe in this community. I’m proud of Washington-Kosciusko and Winona Area Public Schools.”
Nominees were whittled down based on their work in the classroom and in the community. Merchlewitz has served on district committees, including the fundraising and gifted and talented committees. He is also involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, WSHS Touchdown Club, Winona Community Foundation and many other community organizations.
Merchlewitz was on the nomination committee and had asked to remove his name from consideration, but other teachers protested his request. There was too much support for him to receive the award, they said.
“I told him no,” said Deb Ward, a special education teacher at Winona elementary schools. “I think he’s an excellent teacher. He’s an advocate for the kids.”
Winona Senior High School teacher Brian Sather won Teacher of the Year in 2007.
The union will hold a reception on Nov. 20 at the Riverport Inn during American Education week to formally recognize Merchlewitz.
Nolan Rosenkrans may be reached at (507) 453-3519 or at nolan.rosenkrans@lee.net.
cntrychic wrote on Nov 1, 2008 7:22 AM: