Jennifer Peeper Named Southwest Allen County School District 2023 Teacher of the Year

As a top-secret part of the Covington Elementary Field Day Kick Off Pep Rally, Southwest Allen County Schools (SACS) Superintendent, Dr. Park Ginder, along with the school’s Principal, Fred Graf, announced Covington Elementary 4th grade teacher, Jennifer Peeper, as the district’s 2023 Teacher of the Year (TOY). This morning’s announcement was a surprise to most everyone, including Peeper.

Surrounded by cheering coworkers and family Peeper celebrated the honor with her students. ““I fell in love with teaching long before I entered a college classroom. Teachers along the way showed me the difference you can make by being a consistent, loving, and encouraging presence in a student's life.”

Peeper joined the SACS team in 2013 following her international teaching experience in Maracaibo, Venezuela and Cape Town, South Africa.

After teaching for a few years in SACS, Peeper realized many students were coming to school with limited exposure to languages, cultures, and even our own Fort Wayne community. She worked with her second-grade team at Haverhill Elementary to organize Saturday trips around Fort Wayne to bring unique experiences for students called '2nd Grade meets Fort Wayne'. The optional Saturday trips had families meeting at apple orchards, pumpkin fields, downtown markets, the zoo, and the ice-skating rink.

Additionally, Peeper started once a month Spanish lessons for her second-grade class by partnering with Homestead High School Spanish 5 seniors who came to the second-grade classes to teach basic Spanish words and phrases. While students learned Spanish and connected with older students in our district, the high school students were able to practice working with children and planning lessons with the information they learned from their own courses. Each Saturday trip and Spanish lesson was an opportunity for students to add to their background knowledge and experiences and to connect to their community.

Believing the role of a teacher goes beyond what is accomplished in the classroom. Peeper loves the chance to support students at their out of school activities having watched countless football, basketball and baseball games, dance and violin recitals, ice skating and hockey lessons, and even karate and cheer competitions! “If want my students to be invested in what I'm teaching, I also need to show that I am invested in the things that interest them. This year I organized a new event at Covington called the Imagination Fair - encouraging students to share something that makes them excited, without the traditional restrictions from a science fair. Watching 50 students dance, sing, and invent without limits is something I look forward to continuing to grow next year.”

Principal Graf recognized Peeper’s consistent excellence in the classroom. “Her ability to engage her students and create a positive learning environment is truly remarkable. When in her classroom, students experience a calm perfection and optimal environment for all learners. Mrs. Peeper is not just a great teacher; she is also a mentor and role model for her students.”

SACS’ Teacher of the Year award is designed to honor, promote, and celebrate excellence in the teaching profession. Candidates for Teacher of the Year are nominated by building principals with finalists chosen by a committee comprised of administrators, parents and past Teacher of the Year winners. Other extraordinary finalists this year included:

Christine Rhodes, Grade 2, Aboite Elementary
Lori Lemke, Kindergarten, Deer Ridge Elementary
Heather Ramser, Music, Haverhill Elementary
Matt Loshe, Grade 3, Lafayette Meadows Elementary
Kathleen Lochry, Grade 2, Whispering Meadows Elementary
Caitlin Banton, Choir, Summit Middle School
Angela Hubler, Grade 6, Language Arts, Woodside Middle School
Sally Rauber, English, Homestead High School

As this year’s SACS Teacher of the Year, Peeper will also be nominated for 2024 Indiana Teacher of the Year.