Chosen as the Mountain Grove School District’s top educators this year are Kristy Wakefield of the elementary school, Denver Mitchell of the middle school, Michael Walker of the high school and John Emery of the Ozark Mountain Technical Center.
One of the four will be chosen as the district-wide teacher of the year and will become a candidate for regional recognition by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“Congratulations to our building level Teachers Of The Year,” Mountain Grove Superintendent Jim Dickey said. “We have a wonderful teaching staff district wide, but it’s always exciting to see which teachers are selected for this special recognition.”
The district-level teacher of the year will be announced later in March and will be nominated for the regional level. The regional winner will compete for the Missouri Teacher of the Year award.
Kristy Wakefield,
Elementary School
At Mountain Grove Elementary School, Kristy Wakefield teaches Special Reading in Kindergarten-fourth grade. This is her 21st year in education and her 19th year with the Mountain Grove district.
Before moving to her current position at the elementary
school in 2020, Wakefield taught third grade. She also taught third and sixth grades in the Skyline School District.
“Within the classroom today, we as educators continue to build relationships with students. When we help students with their confidence and learning experiences they are able to grow as individuals. That is such a joy to see and watch them grow as learners and individuals, finding their own voice.” Wakefield said.
“Mrs. Kristy Wakefield has been a dedicated teacher to MGES students,” MGES Principal Missy Glenn said. “She makes learning an adventure. The students love her funny antics, which in reality motivates kids to be at school. Her students want to be there every day so they do not miss out. She is well known for “presentations.” Mrs. Wakefield now serves as a reading interventionist and works with a variety of grade levels.”
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Education-Reading. Kristy is a member of the Missouri State Teachers Association.
“As a teacher, I have come full circle: I began my teaching career in third grade, transitioned to Reading Specialist, then to third grade again, and now I find myself as a Reading Specialist once more. I thoroughly enjoy teaching in the classroom setting as well as being a reading teacher,” Wakefield said. “I have a desire to help students who are struggling to reach their potential. I have found that I have drawn my best professional development from within our own Mountain Grove Elementary staff. I continue to learn from others and carry those skill sets and ideas throughout my teaching career. As a reading teacher, I am able to work in classrooms all over our building and that, in turn, has helped me to become a better teacher. We have a school with many wonderful teachers, each of whom have many different strengths that I am privileged to witness and apply to my own teaching.”
Wakefield and her husband, Randall, have been married 23 years. They have two boys, Raleigh and Rhett Wakefield. The Wakefields are actively involved in their church, the First Christian Church of Mountain Grove. In their spare time, the family enjoys playing games, such as escape room, and traveling.
Denver Mitchell,
Middle School
Mountain Grove Middle School teacher Denver Mitchell teaches fifth grade Science. “Mr. Mitchell is an innovative teacher who is not afraid of trying new strategies of teaching,” said MGMS building Principal Dr. Lori Golden. “His ability to build connections with students has made a great difference in the growing science achievement in fifth grade.”
“Students need to be engaged! Students are no different than adults,” Mitchell believes. “Everyone learns better when they are doing what they are learning. This is especially true for children. While learning about standards based grading, I spent a decent amount of time at the John Thomas School of Discovery in Nixa. I learned about hands-on learning and challenging students to solve problems. Possibly the most important thing I learned is the power of letting students show their understanding in a way that makes sense to them. I got rid of the worksheets and started engaging students with hands-on problem solving activities within the classroom. We have done multiple engineering and design projects, hydroponics and raised chickens in our classroom over the past few years. Seeing students who previously lacked confidence in themselves academically become strong, independent learners, has been the greatest “Aha” moment for me.”
This is Mitchell’s fifth year in education with all of his years spent in the Mountain Grove School District. Mitchell, earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and a master’s degree in Administration. He is a member of MSTA. Mitchell coaches varsity golf and junior boys junior high basketball.
He and his wife, Jennifer Mitchell, have two children, Cooper, eighth grade, and Cassidy, first grade. Mitchell loves playing, and coaching all sports. His hobbies include hunting, fishing and just about any outdoor activity.
Michael Walker,
High School
Mountain Grove High School teacher Michael Walker teaches English IV and a variety of electives.
“Mr. Walker loves literature and all it entails,” said Dr. Kerri Rodgers, MGHS Principal. “MGHS has been blessed to have him instilling the love of English and sharing his passion with our students, staff and teachers. Everyone who knows him, is in his class, or is a colleague, enjoys working and learning with him.”
“I began my career in education by working as a paraprofessional with Laura Hiler for 10 years,” Walker said. “There could be no better preparation for the classroom. Mrs. Hiler served as my mentor during my two years as a teacher at MGES, then I moved to MGHS, where it was my privilege to work next to Sarah Sartor. These two women provided the best possible model of what it means to be an outstanding teacher.”
Walker has taught a lot of different classes over the years: MGES Cross-Category SpecEd, MGHS English 3, MGHS English 4, MGHS Government, MGHS Geography, MGHS World Mythology, MGHS Science Fiction, MGHS ACT English Prep, MGHS Creative Writing, MGHS Great Books, MGHS Short Stories, MGHS Life and Works of Shakespeare and MGHS Literature of the American West.
“I believe in the “flat circle” of life; all knowledge enriches us,” Walker said. “Understanding John Keats’s thoughts on mortality can help us cope with our own grief; Dashiell Hammett’s hard-boiled detective stories provide insight into human nature; the Epic of Gilgamesh reminds us that certain aspects of human behavior remain unchanged over thousands of years; and Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” warns us against arrogance and hubris. No matter our goals in life, these truths are relevant. What sticks with me most; however, is that student. Every year a student surprises me; they ask the question or make the observation that forces me to dig deeper into the subject. This is often a student who does not present as engaged or academically inclined. I treasure these moments, because they continually remind me to remain open, to refrain from judgment, to continue to improve my knowledge of the subject area, and, most importantly, to know how to explain and discuss the material.”
Walker has been married to Marilyn Miller Walker for 32 years; she taught in the Mountain Grove school system for 31 years before retiring in 2011. They have one child, Dylan, who lives in St. Paul, Minn., and works on the Communications and Advancement team at Macalester College. Walker loves reading, film and music. “I have no idea how many times I have watched Kurosawa’s ‘Seven Samurai’ or John Ford’s ‘The Searchers’,” Walker said. “I have played guitar for over 30 years and record lots of stuff. One of my greatest thrills was in October 2020, when I traveled to Nashville and recorded with the Choir, one of my favorite bands for over 35 years.”
John Emery, OMTC
John Emery is the Ozark Mountain Technical Center’s Teacher of the Year. He is an Auto Mechanics program teacher at OMTC. This is his ninth year teaching, all his teaching years experience is in Mountain Grove.
“Over the nine years I have been teaching, I have 33 students employed in the Automotive Repair field,” Emery said. “This is very rewarding knowing I am teaching a lifetime skill.”
Emery teaches 11th/12th Auto Mechanics, and is a part of the SKILLS USA club and assists there when needed. He is also a member of NATEF, MOACTE.
“Mr. Emery has made a positive and long lasting influence on students,” said OMTC Director J.T Hale. “He not only prepares them to be knowledgeable in their field, but also to be good employees that take pride in what they do.”
“I feel I am lucky to be in a building where all the staff is very knowledgeable in what they do. It makes for a very effective, supportive team,” Emery said. “Accountability for teachers and students is important.”
Emery has been married to his high school sweetheart for 33 years. “We have a daughter, Janice, who is also an MGHS alumni; a son-in-law, Jeremy; and they have blessed us with two wonderful grandchildren, Rylan and Parker.”
