Karen Gfroerer ’93 2009 Outstanding Performance Award winner

05/04/2009

Karen Gfroerer is a graduate of Anoka High School.  She received her bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Benedict and her Master’s degree in information media from St. Cloud State University.  She has been teaching for 15 years, all of them in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.  She spent one year at Oxbow Creek Elementary and six years at Champlin Elementary before coming to Andover Elementary.

Karen is a member of the literacy and sunshine committees at Andover and had been a member of the school’s technology and budget committees.  At the district level, she is an interactive language arts teacher leader and has been a math/science team leader.  Outside of school, she is a volunteer with Elk River youth hockey and at her church, Grace Lutheran.

The parent who nominated Karen for the award praised her ability to help each kindergartener feel special and learn at his or her own level.  “The most important gift Mrs. Gfroerer gave was a continued love of school to our daughter.  We are very grateful that Mrs. Gfroerer is using her given talents to be a great teacher and role model to her students.”

Karen’s personal statement: “learning is in a constant state of change.  I think for me to be an effective teacher I need to be aware of how my students learn and then be flexible and adjust my instructional techniques to meet their needs.  Students also need to feel safe in their learning environment so they will feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes, because some of the best learning comes from our mistakes.”

For the 13^th year, the Anoka-Hennepin School District recognized excellent teachers through its Teacher Outstanding Performance Award program.

Great teachers have an ability to connect with students in a way that inspires learning and achievement.  They motivate students to learn by setting high expectations, giving them creative challenges and by suing humor.  They make even reluctant students want to come to class and learn.

These are some of the qualities that parents and students found in the teachers they nominated for Teacher Outstanding Performance (TOP) Awards this year.  Of more than 40 teachers nominated, seven winners were selected for recognition during a ceremony April 29 at the Anoka-Hennepin Learning Center.  Each TOP winner received a $200 check from the Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation.

Initiated through a three-year grant from the Medtronic Foundation, the TOP Awards program is in its 12^th year.  It is funded through the Anoka-Hennepin School District and the Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation.

The TOP Award program is designed to involve parents, students and community members in recognizing exemplary teachers and to reward teachers for their efforts.  TOP Award winners are selected based on nominations and applications from nominees, which are reviewed by a committee of parents, community members and district administrators.

Institutional Advancement
College of Saint Benedict
St. Joseph, MN 56374
(320) 363-5682
(800) 648-3468