Tyler Shirley, Jefferson School physical education teacher, has been nominated by USD 428 for the Kansas Horizon Award. The program is sponsored by the Kansas State Department of Education and recognizes first-year teachers for excellent teaching in the elementary and secondary classrooms.
Shirley, originally from Mulvane, was hired last year after he graduated from Southwestern College where he played basketball. He is also a Great Bend High School assistant basketball and football coach.
“He has been a tremendously positive asset to all aspects of our school,” said Art Baker, Jefferson School principal, in his nomination letter. “He is willing to work with and encourage close to 300 Jefferson students equally.
“One of his many goals is to reward the ideas and topics he’s trying to teach,” Baker said. “He did this successfully last year by starting the “Sportsmanship Award” at Jefferson School and even had students recognized last year at a school board meeting.”
Shirley has also been an active member of the Kansas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and attended the spring conference last year. He was the Walking School Bus coordinator for Jefferson School and led volunteers and students through a successful inaugural WSB program that saw more students join as the program continued.
“I am in education to inspire and enthuse young children to become physically fit while having fun,” Shirley said.