Early Intervention Services teacher Katie Rommesmo was nearly done with her lunch break on a late November morning when Moorhead Area Public Schools superintendent Dr. Brandon Lunak made a surprise visit to her classroom. He was there at the Probstfield Center for Education to present Katie—in her ninth year with the district—with the Spud Spirit Award for the month.
“We had a tough start to the school year with student behaviors in our classroom. Katie went out of her way to get every resource possible for our students to be safe and successful,” said Dr. Lunak, relaying her nominator’s words. “She added sensory objects throughout our classroom with her own money and worked to acquire wagons for safe transport for our vulnerable students.”
Rommesmo beamed and nodded along as Dr. Lunak recounted her hard work on behalf of her students.
He then shared a story from the nominator: “Last school year we had a group of kids who loved to dance. So, for our last day of school Katie threw the most fun glow-in-the-dark dance party. She got blow up instruments for them to play, glow necklaces and bracelets, glow in the dark bubbles in a bubble machine with a black light, silly sunglasses and all of their favorite songs to dance to. We all had an absolute blast. It was all because she takes the time to get to know her kids and makes the effort to make school so much fun.”
Her nominator added: “Katie is not just a group of words strung together. She’s an energy that can’t be matched. She’s a smile and heart that fills the room. She’s a comfort and a safe space. She’s a force for safety and inclusion. And above all that, she is an incredible human being.”
Katie’s tireless work to bring joy to her students, families and coworkers speaks directly to the district’s mission to develop the maximum potential of every student to thrive in a changing world.
The Spud Spirit Award is a recognition program that honors MAPS staff who live by the district mission to develop the maximum potential of every learner to thrive in a changing world and showcase our Spud Spirit statements:
Students, staff, parents, families, and the Moorhead community
Passionate, engaged, innovative, and growing in safe environments
Unique, worthy, respectful, and relationship-based
Diversity enriches our school and community
Stewards of the public’s trust in effective and efficient operations
Spud Spirit Award nominations are made by staff, student families and community members. Nominations are open at the beginning of each semester during the school year.