Meramec Valley R-III School District is pleased to announce that Jenna Alt, Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) teacher at Riverbend Middle School, is the 2023 District Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Alt was informed of this distinction today by MVR-III central office administrators and her building principals.
MVR-III Superintendent Dr. Carrie Schwierjohn said, “Mrs. Alt is an outstanding teacher, and I am so proud that she has been selected by her peers as our 2023 District Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Alt goes above and beyond in so many ways by providing innovative real-world learning experiences, making sure students have the resources they need for learning, and making connections within our community for our students.”
After teaching 3 years of middle school English Language Arts at Pacific Intermediate, Mrs. Alt has taught FACS for the past 11 years at RMS. Principal Todd Dempsey said of Mrs. Alt, “She embodies all of the characteristics we hope our Riverbend students leave with when they move on to high school. Building relationships with her students is one of her greatest attributes. She takes the time to get to know her students on a personal level, and it is clear her students love and respect her in return.”
“Mrs. Alt also creates those same bonds with her colleagues,” said Mr. Dempsey. “She created the Sunshine Club to spread kindness to staff throughout our building. She organizes monthly staff luncheons to promote a positive climate and culture.”
The newly-minted Teacher of the Year actively develops opportunities within her classroom and beyond. Lessons like her Cupcake Wars and Tasty Video projects are always well-received, and she is currently working with local business partners to organize a Career Day for RMS students later this year. Mrs. Alt is also one of the founding board members of the MVR-III Bridge Foundation, an independent non-profit organization whose mission is to develop community support to enhance the educational experience. The foundation seeks to impact MVR-III students, faculty, organizations, and families by raising, managing, and distributing financial resources.
“Mrs. Alt truly exemplifies our district mission of, Together We Make A Difference In Doing What's Best For Kids!” said Dr. Schwierjohn.
As District Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Alt will now be advanced as a candidate for Missouri’s regional and statewide Teacher of the Year awards. MVR-III congratulates the other district finalists as well: Cassie Bowers (PHS), Jenny Devine (Coleman/Robertsville), Taylor Light (Truman), Brittany Jasper (Robertsville), Penelope Parker (Nike), and Stephanie Titter (Zitzman).
Mr. Dempsey summarized by saying, “Mrs. Alt has truly made a difference for our students and staff. She couldn't be more deserving of this honor, and we are proud to call her the MVR-III Teacher of the Year!”
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