Billie Ryan-Howard, a preschool teacher at Kent Valley Early Learning Center, has been named the Kent School District Teacher of the Year for 2016.
Ryan-Howard, who also works with special needs students, exemplifies what it is to be an impactful educator with passion, patience, and fostering educational partnerships with students, parents and staff, according to the Kent School District.
She attributes her dedication to education to the positive impacts teachers had in her life when she was in school, such as her science teachers who helped foster her love of the subject when the content became difficult.
While volunteering in her sons’ schools, Ryan-Howard, who was a nurse, decided to return to school to become paraeducator. She later earned her master’s degree in education and is a national board certified teacher.
Kent Valley Early Learning Center coordinator Alice Humphres said Ryan-Howard is a leader in the building who continually commits to improving herself and mentoring others.
Kent Valley Early Learning Center hosts the kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes for Kent and Neely-O’Brien elementary schools.
Ryan-Howard was one of 13 teachers nominated for Teacher of the Year in the District.
When learning she won the honor, she was at a loss for words, not expecting a preschool teacher to be the winner. However, she made it clear why she was selected with the simple statement, “I love my job.”
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