Leona Libby Middle School Teacher Named 2019 Outstanding Young Educator

Meet your 2019 Washington State Outstanding Young Educator, science teacher Jessica Saddler at Leona Libby Middle School.

Whether engaging students in her classroom, taking on staff leadership roles or building bonds between the school and community, Ms. Saddler is making waves. That's pretty impressive for a teacher with three years of teaching under her belt.

“Jessica is an example of an ideal educator, someone committed to every aspect of making a school a place of growth for students, staff and the community as a whole,” says Principal Andre Hargunani.

In her science classroom, Ms. Saddler integrates technology into her teaching and so engages students daily that they’re reluctant to leave her class when the bell rings.

She serves as a leader among staff by providing help to fellow teachers while serving on a number of staff teams.

Ms. Saddler also helped organize the school’s first STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) Night event and advises Libby’s Science Bowl/Science Club team, which recently competed at the state competition.

Her commitment to all aspects of education earned her this year's award from Washington State ASCD, formerly known as the Washington State Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

“It is clear that Jessica is dedicated and passionate about education and it is evident that she will continue to go above and beyond for her students,” the association stated in its award announcement.

Ms. Saddler was first hired at Enterprise Middle School before helping open Libby, the district’s first STEAM middle school, for the 2017-18 school year. She’s been dedicated to the school since day one, with school administrators calling her an exceptional instructional leader with the drive to continue learning the best way to serve her students.