FACULTY AWARDS
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Throughout the school's 129-year history, the school and its faculty were honored with numerous awards and achievements. We've listed just some of those awards here. (If you are aware of additional faculty awards we've not yet listed please let us know.)
GOLD STAR TEACHER AWARD WINNERS
Between 1990 and 2012 thirteen MPLS teachers were honored with the
MPLS TEACHERS ACHIEVED NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION
The mission of the National Board is to advance student learning and achievement by establishing the definitive standards and systems for certifying accomplished educators, providing programs and advocating policies that support excellence in teaching and leading and engaging National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) and leaders in that process. Six MPLS teachers were honored with this award. Read more...
PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHING
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science). Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. Six MPLS teachers were honored with this award. Read more....
NATIONAL AWARDS
1977 – Laboratory School High School Principal James Albrecht receives the first Service Award given by the National Association of Secondary School Teachers.
1989 – Math teacher Earl Ockenga receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science)—the first of 6 Lab School professors to receive this prestigious honor.
1990 – Math teacher James Maltas receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science).
1992 –Elementary science teacher C. David Christensen receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science).
​
1995 – Elementary math teacher Jacquelyn Smith receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science).
Science teacher Lyn Countryman is acknowledged as a National Board Certified Teacher as an Early Adolescent Generalist, one of only 81 teachers in the nation to this date to have achieved this level of certification.
1999 – Science teacher Lyn Countryman receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science).
​
2001 – Four Laboratory School faculty earn certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards: Karen Couch, Nadene Davidson, Aaron Spurr, and Jody Stone.
2005 – Jill Uhlenberg is named Director of the Year by the National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers. Dr. Uhlenberg’s Center, serving children 6 weeks through age 3, is located at the Laboratory School.
2011 –Science teacher Jody Stone receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science) – the sixth of 6 Lab School professors to receive this prestigious honor.
REGIONAL AWARDS
2006 – Science teacher Aaron Spurr is named the Outstanding Earth Science Teacher in the central United States by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers.
STATE AWARDS
1975 – James Kelly is named Iowa Biology Teacher of the Year.
1986 – Joan Duea is named one of two first recipients of the Award for Excellence in Elementary Mathematics Teaching by the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
1989 – Les Hale receives the Iowa Choral Directors Association Distinguished Career Award.
1990 – Elementary Guidance Counselor Clare Struck is awarded the Child Abuse Prevention Service Award from the Iowa Chapter of the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse.
1991 – Retired Director of Price Laboratory School, Head of UNI's Department of Teaching, and coach Ross A. Nielsen is elected to the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
1994 – Elementary teacher Diane McCarty is named the State Social Studies Teacher of the Year; she also is a finalist for State Teacher of the Year.
​
1995 – Lee Weber receives the Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award from the Iowa Council for the Social Studies.
1996 – Coach Bob Lee is inducted into the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame.
1999 – French teacher Lowell Hoeft receives the Outstanding Secondary Teacher Award from the Iowa World Language Association.
​
Spanish teacher Rosa Maria de Findlay, who has taught at every level from nursery through twelfth grade, is inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame. Findlay has been recognized as an advocate for Hispanic/Latino immigrants by the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women.
2001 – Lori Smith is honored as the Iowa Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is also President-elect for the Iowa Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD).
Sally Ludwig is honored as the Iowa Special Educator of the Year by the Iowa Learning Disabilities Association.
2007 – Science teacher Aaron Spurr receives the Iowa Academy of Science’s Distinguished Service Award.
​
METRO AWARDS
1973 – Language Arts teacher Judy Beckman receives the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Outstanding Teacher
Award.
1990 – High school language arts teacher Kathy Oakland is the first of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
​
1993 – Fourth grade teacher Diane McCarty is the second of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
​
1999 – French teacher Lowell Hoeft is the third of13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
​
2000 –Special education teacher Kim Miller is the fourth of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established n 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
​
2001 – Fourth grade teacher Lynne Ensworth is the fifth of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
2002 – High school science teacher Jody Stone is the sixth of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
2003 – Third grade teacher Mary Salazar Guenther is the seventh of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
2006 – Early childhood and kindergarten teacher Sheri Hoffman is the eighth of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
​
2007 – Physical education teacher and coach Lori A. Smith is the ninth of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
2008 – Elementary guidance and counseling instructor Clare Struck is the tenth of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
​
2009 – Fifth grade teacher Amy Lockhart is the eleventh of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
​
2010 – First and second grade teacher Denise Tallakson is the twelfth of 13 Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
​
2012 – Early childhood and kindergarten teacher Shelly Bromwich is the final Laboratory School faculty to receive the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching established in 1989 by the R. J. McElroy Trust and KWWL-TV to honor elite metro teaching.
Receive the latest news and updates in your inbox
