Vaile’s Tori Johnson wins RCS Teacher of the Year, prioritizes relationship with students

RICHMOND, Ind. — Tori Johnson kept her head low as she took her turn to be recognized May 3 at Richmond Community Schools’ 25th-annual Celebration of Excellence.

A fourth-grade teacher at Vaile Elementary School, Johnson was one of 10 teachers representing their respective schools as finalists for the RCS District Teacher of the Year Award.

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She stood to the side and listened as RCS Interim Chief Human Resources Officer Aleasia Stewart read one of Johnson’s letters of recommendation to Civic Hall’s packed crowd. Words like “committed,” “inspiring” and “purposeful” were rattled off, and the letter ended describing Johnson’s smile as “contagious.”

That smile was a little sheepish as the crowd applauded her, almost as if she felt she didn’t deserve to be there.

She listened to a few more teacher introductions before the climax of the evening. Johnson still had that self-conscious look on her face as Stewart made the announcement. Then, her jaw dropped.

“The RCS 2022 District Teacher of the Year is Tori Johnson.”

She couldn’t believe it. Even as her colleagues congratulated her and everyone in attendance gave her a near minute-long standing ovation, her jaw was still on the floor. She was still speechless when she sat back down, so Stewart said something for her.

“Tori says ‘Thank you’ by her expression.”

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Thirty minutes later, at the conclusion of the ceremony, she was still “completely shocked and utterly surprised,” but her smile had changed. She looked excited, confident and full of belief, and all she could talk about were her students.

“They mean everything to me,” Johnson said. “I didn’t realize how much I needed the kids. They say the students need me, but I need them more than they probably need me. They just bring such a fulfillment and joy to my life … Honestly, they are the reason why all this can happen. I can’t put into words what they mean to me because I would be here all day.”

Tierney Stevenson, Vaile’s principal, said she could have cried when she heard Johnson’s name announced and for multiple reasons.

Three years ago, at the end of her first year of teaching, Johnson was recognized as an RCS Rising Star, an honor given to teachers with no more than three years of experience who have shown “exemplary performance and outstanding leadership.”

Stevenson always knew Johnson was special, but seeing her positive change in demeanor on that stage filled her with pride.

“She is very deserving and has made huge change and growth in our building,” Stevenson said. “It’s been so fun to watch her and see all the things that she is now seeing in herself that others had seen before. It’s been a joy, and I’m so excited for her.”

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Stevenson said what makes Johnson stand out is her ability to build relationships with her students. It’s what Johnson believes she does best as a teacher, and it’s what was highlighted in her letter of recommendation. It stated that Johnson truly gets to know each of her students and “makes them feel as they are the most important person in her classroom.”

That connection with students goes beyond her own class. During lunch, Johnson can often be found eating with third-grade students who are preparing for the transition to her fourth-grade class.

“I make sure I put my relationship with my students first,” Johnson said. “I don’t just teach within the four walls of my classroom; I make sure all kids at Vaile are valued, not just the 20-something fourth-graders I get each year.”

Her dedication to making those connections is what makes Johnson “the type of teacher I would hope every child gets the opportunity to have,” Stewart read.

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She does the same thing with her coworkers. Stevenson said Johnson comes to work every morning with an armful of drinks from various fast-food restaurants for her colleagues without them asking. That’s just one example of why Stevenson said she’s the “kindest, sweetest” person who “brightens everybody’s day.”

Those are the expectations Johnson sets for herself. It’s her goal to be the best teacher, colleague and person she possibly can. She admitted that they can often be “almost unobtainable,” but those lofty goals meshed with her relationship-building is what has put her above the rest. She has the same expectations of her students, and she gives them all the credit for her success.

Johnson said she often sees former students out and about, and she reminds them every time that she’s encouraging them from afar and hoping they’re doing amazing things.

“My kids know I love them, and we’re going to have fun and we’re going to be goofy. It’s like a big classroom family,” Johnson said. “But they also know ‘I have high expectations of you, and you’re going to perform well because you can do it.’ I think every child needs an adult cheering them on.”

This is Johnson’s first year eligible for Teacher of the Year nomination, and she’s already made quite the impression by winning the honor. Just like her own expectations, she’s now set her bar pretty high.

“Where do you go from there?” Stevenson said with a laugh. “Only up for her, definitely.”

Zach Piatt reports on sports and education for The Palladium-Item. Contact him at zpiatt@gannett.com or on Twitter @zachpiatt13.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Vaile Elementary Schools' Tori Johnson wins RCS Teacher of the Year