2005 IMLA Region 2  Educator of the Year

Rita Eisele 

Few teachers could be more deserving of a middle level teaching award than Rita Eisele of Jenifer Junior High in Lewiston.  She has been a teacher leader in the middle school movement since its inception.  Each step of the way; teaming, advisory, interdisciplinary units, exploratory, block scheduling, 90 minute math periods, student led conferences, and data-based decision making, she has served as a leader in the trenches.  She epitomizes a true “can – do” attitude.

Rita should be a familiar face to IMLA.  She routinely is a presenter on a wide range of topics including school on the road, student led conferencing, and block schedule teaching.  She speaks from the heart, and she speaks from making a difference.  Rita is an incredibly hard working, innovative, idea-person who embraces transescent youth with a spirit of hope and joy.  She has been a mainstay of student achievement and character development.  Always seeking out new ideas, Rita has been a blessing to her building, her staff, and especially to her students.  A hero is one who is admired and looked  up to for valor, achievements and noble qualities and who performs courageously.  Rita is an all day / every day hero to all who have benefited from her friendly wisdom.

Rita’s career began when, in high school, she realized she could teach a certain class significantly better than the teacher.  So that is just what she did!  At that moment , a teacher was born!  She is a wife, a mom, a competitor, an athlete, a math teacher, an instructional leader, a donkey rider, and an icon to many hundreds of kids, of all ages.

Rita is maturely refined and yet is the first to drop her jaw with delight in a celebratory laugh over a silly event.  At Jenifer she helps us be one class, one language, one family, and one generation.  She is our “cool sister” who will help us to grow without making light of our struggles. 

For these and many other reasons, we in Lewiston love Rita Eisele and welcome her as our IMLA Region II Teacher of The Year!!!