Jayhawk Elementary School sixth-grade teacher Kimberly Boehm, left, and Jayhawk-Linn High School-Junior High School physical education teacher Christa Holt have been selected to be the teachers of the year for the Jayhawk district. (Submitted photos)
By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com
MOUND CITY – Two Jayhawk teachers, one for Jayhawk Elementary School (JES) and the other for Jayhawk-Linn Junior-Senior High School (JLHS), were named teachers of the year for the Jayhawk school district at the district’s board meeting on Monday, Nov. 11.
Kimberly Boehm, sixth-grade teacher at JES, and JLHS teacher Christa Holt were presented to the board by Superintendent Shawn Thomas.
Thomas pointed out that there were many good things happening in the district and he wanted to create the Teachers of the Year program to honor teachers who had shown leadership in the district. He also told the board he wanted to choose the teachers early in the school year so that their names could be entered in the state teacher of the year selection sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education (KDHE). The deadline to submit names to KDHE for the 2026 Teacher of the Year was Nov. 8.
JES Principal Russ Hermreck told the board that Boehm was absolutely a good choice for the honor. He said that her commitment to excellence, her high standard of teaching, and her kindness and generosity with students made her selection an easy choice.
JLHS Principal Julie Samuels called Holt the “epitome of Jayhawk-Linn,” adding that she was an awesome teacher and mentor. “I can’t imagine Jayhawk without Christa Holt,” she said, adding that her dynamic energy made her an valuable asset to the school.
Thomas also noted that Holt had traveled to Emporia to receive the High School Physical /Education Teacher of the Year award from Kansas Association for Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (KAHPERD).
“This is quite an honor for me and will also put me on several committees and groups that advocate for our profession,” wrote Holt in an email on Nov. 12.
She said she was honored to be selected by both KAHPERD and the district for teacher of the year honors.
“It is a great honor to be recognized for the work we do,” she wrote. “But when you love your job, as I do, everyday is a good day.”
Both teachers will be presented at an upcoming basketball game, Thomas said.
Both Hermreck and Samuels reported on Veterans Days programs at both schools the morning of the board meeting. Hermeck complemented music teacher Amanda Johnson and the sixth-grade class at JES for the Veterans Day program that included songs as well as larger than life photos of area veterans and their contributions to the country.
Samuels compliment the Jayhawk FFA chapter for sponsoring and organizing the annual Veterans Day program at JLHS, which included guest speaker Hunter Jameson and performances by the band, choir and cheerleaders. Samuels also said she was taking the time to learn more about the FFA program and its activities at JLHS.
In other business, the board:
Learned that out of 300 families that had students enrolled at JES, 98% of those families attended parent-teacher conferences. He called that high percentage “remarkable,” and attributed credit to former principal Mark Proffitt for encouraging that kind of parental involvement.
Learned from Thomas that the board of the Pleasanton-based Southeastern Technical Academy for Rural Students (STARS) was dealing with questions on funding the program. He said the danger of losing programs there was not immediate but the administration and board was looking at ways to make it sustainable. As a STARS board member, Thomas noted that the Jayhawk district was seeing positive dividends by sending students there. “That’s how important it’s become,” he said. “It’s a big deal.”
Learned that a Kansas Supreme Court justice would be visiting JLHS on Nov. 12 to talk with students about the state’s judicial system.
Learned that the sale of several old, unused district vehicles prompted 47 bids and netted the district nearly $7,300.
Thomas gave the board a handout on the new Kansas Education Systems Accreditation program (KESA 2.0). He told the board that for the first year of KESA 2.0, the district must create an action plan focused on one of the four fundamentals (see chart below). He said he plans to present an action plan to the board in December.
Approved hiring Brody White as assistant wrestling coach and hiring Kelly Toll as the JLHS science teacher for the 2025-26 school year.
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