The City Urban Perspectives

SPU Grad Recognized as Washington’s 2014
Teacher of the Year

Translating Student Success

By Bob Elmer (belmer@spu.edu) | Photo courtesy of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Katie Brown also received recognition for her work coaching teachers and facilitating professional development.

Another Seattle Pacific University graduate has been named Teacher of the Year in Washington state.

English Language Learning Specialist Katie Brown MEd ’09 of Bellingham’s Shuksan Middle School was recently honored by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for her outstanding work with students learning to read and write English.

On May 1, 2014, she visited the White House and was honored by President Barack Obama, along with winners from each state.

Brown has been teaching in Bellingham, Washington, for the past 11 years. Her accomplishments include building strong community and family support through family nights and fostering a learning environment in which the percent of students passing the reading measurements of student progress has increased 20 points in just one year.

“It is her hard work, dedication, and ability to understand different cultures that have made Shuksan a model school for family engagement,” says Isabel Meaker, a colleague in the Bellingham School District. “In a state where student demographics are constantly fluctuating, Katie Brown has set a precedent for other districts to follow.”