North Star Elementary kindergarten teacher Kate Tibbitts was named the Bend-La Pine Schools Educator of the Year Tuesday, the district announced.
A surprise ceremony was held for Tibbitts in the North Star playground, with students and staff cheering her on.
“I did not get here on my own,” Tibbitts said when she accepted the award. “I got here because I love working with every single kid in this school and every single teacher.”
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In addition to the award, Mid Oregon Credit Union presented Tibbitts with a check for $500 to use in her classroom.
Tibbitts has been with the district since 2014. She taught kindergarten at R.E. Jewell Elementary School and worked at Bear Creek Elementary and Lava Ridge Elementary moving to North Star in 2019.
“Kate goes to extraordinary lengths to open the minds, hearts, and neurons of her students. She is a collaborator, an intense and compassionate listener, and turns ideas into actions that benefit all of her students,” North Star Principal Tim Burdsall said in a statement.
Bend-La Pine plans to present the Support Person of the Year award Wednesday and the Administrator of the Year on Thursday.
