Harvest Ridge Teacher Dione Anderson Selected as District Teacher of the Year

Posted on 03/05/2020
Dione Anderson receives award


The Francis Howell School District is proud to announce that Dione Anderson, a reading teacher at Harvest Ridge Elementary School, has been selected as the 2020 FHSD Teacher of the Year. She is a product of the District and says her desire to become a teacher dates back to her days in Mrs. Miller’s second grade class at Becky-David Elementary. “I felt loved and accepted in her class, and my love of reading flourished,” says Anderson. “I remember thinking that I wanted to be in school for the rest of my life. Many inspiring teachers followed her, strengthening my resolve to teach.”

Anderson is both inspired and inspiring. “She pours her entire heart and soul into making sure her students are not only successful when they are with her, but that they carry out the skills they have learned when they go back into the classroom,” says Principal Dr. Natalie DeWeese. “She is an absolute expert in the field of teaching reading and a true master at delivering instruction that supports students and pushes them to new reading levels. She is a role model for students and colleagues, and I am proud to have her as a member of the team at Harvest Ridge.”

Anderson has been with the District for 27 years and has also taught at Independence, Fairmount, and Daniel Boone. She has been a reading recovery teacher for the past 14 years, and her passion for reading is evident. Anderson says, “The quote ‘Literacy is the bridge from misery to hope’ summarizes my greatest educational contribution. Teaching struggling first graders, many who have challenges based on trauma, poverty, or limited English, to be confident readers and writers is my driving force.”

Contributing to teacher collaboration and learning is also important to Anderson. She regularly welcomes teachers into her classroom and shares recorded lessons for professional development. She empowers people to believe in themselves and knows that success is measured by more than data. She knows that good literacy skills and good relationships have a profound impact on students – and teachers.

“I am overwhelmed by the support of so many wonderful educators with whom I have taught, and from whom I have learned, in my 27 years of teaching,” says Anderson. “It is a blessing to nurture a love of literacy, and I am thankful for my students whose stories continue to inspire my passion for teaching.”

Anderson will be honored, along with all building Teachers of the Year, Support Staff Employees of the Year, Howell of Fame Award winners, and District retirees, at the annual Howell of Fame Awards Ceremony on Monday, May 4, 2020.

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