Mrs. Meireis is one of the three math teachers at Andale High School. Meireis teaches College Algebra, Calculus, Trigonometry and Algebra 2. She has been teaching for almost 20 years and is very interactive and fun when it comes to being involved in the classroom. Meireis was recently invited to the Kansas Teacher of the Year banquet. The KTOY banquet recognizes those who are outstanding teachers across the state of Kansas.

Q: How was the Kansas Teacher of the year banquet this past weekend?

A: Getting to attend the banquet was a memorable and enjoyable experience.  I got to meet several other nominees along with the Commissioner of Education, Dr. Watson.

Q: Anything you thought was interesting about the KTOY banquet?

A: The KTOY program and banquet highlights what educators are doing in their classroom.  It is always great to hear what other teachers are doing and how they approach common issues that arise.

Q: Who has impacted you the most through this award?

A: Mrs. Bruna has had a great impact on me throughout this process.  She was the nominee last year and is currently going through the site visits that I will get to do next year.  She helped me write my application and gave me valuable feedback before submitting it.

Q: What’s something new you’ve tried in your classroom this year?

A:  I am always looking for new activities to help my students engage with the material.  This year I have found Blooket which I know has been around a while but finally got a chance to try it with my Algebra 2.  It is great at keeping the students engaged while reviewing a concept.

Q: What’s the next steps in the KTOY organization?

A: Next September I will go to a conference where I will get to be involved with professional development opportunities and I will meet my group that I will work with the rest of the year.  The group will go on site visits to each other’s districts to learn about the programs and initiatives they use to help their students be successful.

Q: Best advice to new teachers?

A: My best advice for new teachers is to not be afraid to ask for help.  Many times teachers end up isolated in their rooms and are afraid how asking for help will make them look to other teachers.  I have taught for almost 20 years and I still go ask others what they would do or how they would teach a certain topic.

Q: How do you stay motivated as a teacher to continually try new things?