2006 IMLA Region 4  Educator of the Year

Denise Mumm

    Most of us in the field of education have watched fabulous motion pictures based on a teacher’s real life story of overcoming the longest odds by reaching the most difficult students.  Often times this takes place in an inner-city school.  Well watch out Hollywood, because it happens in rural Idaho too! 

    This particular story takes place in a small south central Idaho town, with a teacher whose personality is a combination of drill sergeant and Mother Teresa.  When united, these qualities produce amazing results: the unrealistic, becomes reality; the improbable, becomes probable; and the worthless, become worthy!  This teacher has a gift of reaching those too often judged unreachable.  This reflected in the fact that she had the highest ISAT reading scores in the state in 2005. 

    She does this while being a leader within her school and state.  She has served as 8th grade team leader year after year, as language arts department chair many times, as yearbook advisor, and as a table leader for the DWA.  In addition, she has coached 2 and 3 sports throughout her 19 years in education. 

    Good enough is not enough for this teacher.  Even though her expertise is immense, she continues to seek professional development opportunities, often on her own time, in which she learns and trains with the most respected professional in the nation. 

    Roll out the red carpet for Region IV’s Educator of the Year…Denise Mumm of Kimberly Middle School!