To celebrate the start of the school year, the Gladstone School District honored a total of six staff members who won Thank a Teacher or Making a Difference awards at our staff's Welcome Back event on Aug. 26. To recognize their outstanding contributions to our community, each of these staff members received $250 from a Gladstone Education Foundation endowment.
Rebecca Russell is a remarkable educator whose impact on students’ lives stretches far beyond the classroom. She cultivates confidence, builds strong relationships and advocates fiercely for Gladstone Center for Children & Families students and colleagues. During Writers’ Workshop she creates space for young authors to share their work with pride and purpose.
Her Thank a Teacher Award recognized how she honors each student’s voice while guiding them toward meaningful growth -- modeling what it means to be both a writer and a learner. Beyond academics her consistent and thoughtful communication with kindergarten families fosters a classroom community rooted in care and connection.