Arkansas Teacher of the Year goes to White House

Randi House poses in Theodore Jones Elementary School when she was named Conway School District Teacher of the Year. She was named Arkansas Teacher of the Year in September and officially starts in that role July 1, although she’s already been to the White House in Washington, D.C., with other teachers of the year.
Randi House poses in Theodore Jones Elementary School when she was named Conway School District Teacher of the Year. She was named Arkansas Teacher of the Year in September and officially starts in that role July 1, although she’s already been to the White House in Washington, D.C., with other teachers of the year.

CONWAY — Randi House of Conway is just getting started on her Arkansas Teacher of the Year journey, and she’s already been to a reception at the White House in Washington, D.C., and met with the U.S. secretary of education.

House, a kindergarten teacher at Theodore Jones Elementary School in Conway, was chosen in September as the state’s 2018 Teacher of the Year.

“This coming year is when I’ll step out of the classroom,” she said.

In 2018-19, she will travel to school districts across the state to see various classrooms, serve on committees and be an ex officio member of the Arkansas Board of Education.

Although her official tenure starts July 1, she’s hit the ground running already this summer.

“It’s been really good. I just got back from D.C. a couple weeks ago. We had our Washington week, where we got to meet with Secretary [of Education Betsy] DeVos twice,” House said.

“What was discussed was, we had several teachers who had experience with charter schools, and they shared their experiences and how they don’t feel like it’s working well,” she said.

“This was all teachers from across the country, so lots were from states that are striking. They shared that you need to listen to teachers. … Teachers don’t just walk out for no reason, [but because] things need to improve,” House said.

“Pretty much, I think the overall theme of things we tried to get across is that teachers connect with students and learn their stories and build those relationships,” House said, “and for the focus to come off standardized testing and give teachers the freedom to make those connections and teach [students] in an authentic way.”

She said a reception for the teachers was held at the White House, and National Teacher of the Year Mandy Manning of Washington spoke.

“She did a beautiful speech, and President Trump came in, and he spoke for a few moments,” House said. “He thanked the teachers. He feels like we’re important, and he just spoke a little bit about Mandy and what she does.”

The rest of House’s summer includes traveling back to D.C. for an educational policy meeting and going to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama.

“All the teachers get together at Space Camp, which I think is the most awesome thing ever. We have our own week at Space Camp.”

House has had several speaking engagements and television interviews, and those will continue.

“It’s going to be a very busy summer; I think I only have four days off in June,” House said, laughing.

She and other members of the Teacher Leader Advisory Group through the Arkansas Department of Education were scheduled to meet June 8 with Gov. Asa Hutchinson to talk about “teacher pay, teacher retention, recruitment, things like that.”

Theodore Jones Elementary School Principal Tammy Woosley said House has been documenting her journey on the 2018 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Facebook page and has shared stories with her fellow Conway teachers.

House attended kindergarten professional development in the Conway School District this month.

“In true Randi style, she is balancing being a mom, a wife, a teacher, a learner and an advocate for her new role already,” Woosley said.

“As we sat in RISE (Reading Initiative for Student Excellence) training today, she shared how important it is to build relationships with students so, in turn, we can help build their oral-language skills early on,” Woosley said.

“Randi’s passion and new experiences have given her more confidence and poise that comes through as she speaks As her principal, I still think how very deserving she is of her new role and how lucky our state is to learn from her and her story. Our team just cannot get enough stories of each journey she takes,” Woosley said. “What is so neat is to see that Randi still considers herself a kindergarten teacher, as a member of our kindergarten team and our school team.”

Leaving the classroom was the hardest part of being chosen for the state honor, House said.

Another teacher will be hired this month on a one-year contract to take House’s classroom. The year will be an adjustment for House’s daughter, Essie, who will be a fourth-grader and in her last year at Theodore Jones. House said her husband, Travis, will hold down the fort and take care of Essie and the couple’s other daughter, Lottie.

At the end of House’s tenure as Arkansas Teacher of the Year, “I get my classroom back,” she said in an earlier interview. “I think that’s where my heart is. That’s my plan — to come right back into this room.”

Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.

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