BCSD's April Certified Employee of the Month

Laura Nishek is Boundary County School District’s April Certified Employee of the Month. Anyone who has had the privilege of working with Mrs. Nishek, can speak to the professionalism and dedication she brings to her students and classroom. Currently, Mrs. Nishek teaches 4th grade at Mt Hall Elementary, but she hasn’t always taught 4th grade. In fact, Mrs. Nishek started at the high school where she taught Early Childhood Development and then spent a few years teaching at the middle school. When a position came open at Mt Hall, Mrs. Nishek thought she’d try her hand at teaching elementary students. Next year, Mrs. Nishek is taking on another teaching adventure and will be teaching kindergarten at Mt Hall.

Speaking of adventure, Mrs. Nishek is quite the thrill-seeker herself. Just last year, Mrs. Nishek had the opportunity to travel to Alaska to be present during the opening ceremonies of the Iditarod. To inspire the sense of adventure in her students, Mrs. Nishek’s class just completed an interactive Iditarod project. Just short of being in Alaska themselves, her students researched this wild event, and became experts on mushers, dog sleds, and the Alaskan terrain. It was fun to watch the kids get so into this project. Besides the Iditarod, Mrs. Nishek is always thinking outside of the box and is seeking new ways to inspire her students to be the best learners they can be. Mrs. Nishek is not just looking to push her students, but all of the students at Mt Hall. This January, Mrs. Nishek went to a training on increasing the rigor in the classroom. She came back and was able to share some of the knowledge with the staff.

Mrs. Nishek also inspires educators throughout the District. Mrs. Nishek’s former colleague, Mrs. Jenny Mackey, said, “Laura is one of the most selfless, giving, dedicated teachers that I have ever seen. [She] spends countless hours creating elaborate lessons, crossing multiple subjects, that intrigue her students. She is caring and kind; always there for her students. Her passion for her students is contagious. It has been a pleasure getting to work with her both at [BCMS] and Mt Hall Elementary.” Mr. Jason Murray, the 4th grade teacher at Naples Elementary and Mrs. Nishek’s mentee, has this to say about Laura, “As my mentor, Laura gave me the freedom to find my own strengths as a teacher. She also provided critical feedback that helped me develop a more efficient classroom.”

Thank you, Mrs. Nishek. You make Mt Hall a great place for students to learn, play, and grow. Go Mrs. Nishek!