Rockwood South Middle Teacher Receives AMLE Educator of the Year Award

Rockwood South Middle language arts teacher Kristen Engle has been named the 2024 Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) Educator of the Year.

“There are not enough words or ways to express my gratitude and appreciation for being selected,” Engle said. “To be the first educator from Missouri to receive this award is an incredible honor. I'm so fortunate to be supported, uplifted and inspired by fantastic colleagues and school leaders who motivate me to be the best educator I can be for our students.”

This is Engle's fourth year as a teacher at Rockwood South.

“Ms. Engle is so deserving of this honor,” said AMLE CEO Stephanie Simpson. “Our middle schoolers are most successful when they have adult advocates who invest in their academic and social growth. Ms. Engle is an exceptional advocate for her kids. She shows up for them, sees them as individuals and cares deeply about their development. She is just the ambassador for middle school-level education that the field needs.”

The award recognizes outstanding teachers in middle school education – those who have impacted the lives of young children with a significant body of work and have advanced in middle school education through leadership, vision and advocacy.

Engle’s teaching approach is project-based learning with a focus on personalization.

“It’s important for me to provide students with opportunities to gain deeper understanding and relevance of the English language arts standards they are learning through real-world application,” she shared. “Providing authentic learning experiences contributes to how I establish a classroom culture fostering a love of learning, confidence to take on new challenges and empowering students to take ownership of their learning.” 

As an educator, the most important thing to Engle is believing every student deserves a “champion.”

“Students need someone who believes in them to reach their highest potential personally and academically, and having opportunities to be that ‘champion’ for middle school students year after year is priceless,” she said.

Growing up, Engle experienced her own group of “champions” who motivated her to become a teacher.

“I had fantastic teachers when I was a student in school,” Engle shared. “Their dedication to helping others and enthusiasm for learning, as well as experiencing firsthand how they could positively impact my life, inspired me to want to do the same for the students I have throughout my teaching career.”

A proud principal, Dr. Laurie Birkenmeier said Engle exemplifies the school’s mission to discover, connect and make a difference.

“Ms. Engle is highly reflective and eager to learn from her colleagues, committed to connecting her students’ learning with authentic, real-world experiences and continually demonstrates a clear passion for making a positive difference in our students’ lives,” Birkenmeier said. “She does it with a positive, can-do attitude and a smile.”

Engle will be formally recognized during AMLE's 2024 conference, which will be held from Nov. 6-9, in Nashville, Tennessee.