KEARNEY – Three Kearney educators were inducted Thursday into the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Academy for Teacher Education Excellence for their work with students entering the education profession.
Inductees represent professionals who work in schools as educators or as faculty members at UNK. Each received a ,000 stipend.
The Academy for Teacher Education Excellence award is given to educators who have shown excellence in teaching, a passion for the profession, and the ability to inspire future teachers.
This year’s class, with comments from UNK College of Education Dean Sheryl Feinstein, includes:
Jana Green, Speech Language Pathologist, Minden School District
“Jana has worked in this profession for 27 years. Additionally, she has served as a school clinical supervisor for our graduated student interns since 1996. She has been instrumental in shaping the careers of numerous speech pathologists in school settings. We are proud to call her an alumna of UNK. She earned her master’s in communication disorders here. As a testament to the difference she’s made, a student said she’s ‘a dedicated and respected professional, knowledgeable and skilled. She is a great role model.’”
Brett Kluever, Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Teacher, Gibbon Public Schools
“Brett has taught in Gibbon since 2009 and hit the ground running. He enthusiastically hosts our math field experience students, and mentors UNK student teachers on a yearly basis. One student teacher said ‘Mr. Kluever runs a very organized classroom. I learned so much about classroom management. He expects success from all of his students.’
“Brett is a new member of the UNK Advisory Council for Teacher Education, and he played a key role in our Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation this past year. He’s currently enrolled in the UNK Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology program and will soon be a Master of Arts alumnus.”
Kipp Petersen, Principal, Horizon Middle School – Kearney
“Kipp has been the principal at Horizon Middle School the past 15 years and has worked in education for over 35 years. He comes from a counseling background, which is evident in his calm, quiet and supportive demeanor. A colleague said ‘Kipp is always willing to visit with teacher candidates who might be struggling and help them regain their enthusiasm for teaching.’
“Another colleague said ‘Kipp is a visionary and 100 percent committed to whatever endeavor he undertakes. He is compassionate, caring and very student centered.’ He continually finds placements for our student teachers, making room at the last moment. He is a longtime member of the UNK Advisory Council for Teacher Education, and his input is invaluable.”
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Writer: Todd Gottula, Director of Communications, 308.865.8454, gottulatm@unk.edu
Source: Sheryl Feinstein, Dean of the College of Education, 308-865-8502, feinsteinsg@unk.edu
