Southeast Polk teacher named Iowa's teacher of the year for 2023

Chris Higgins, Des Moines Register
·2 min read

Krystal Colbert, a second grade teacher at Mitchellville Elementary School in the Southeast Polk Community School District, was named the Iowa Department of Education's 2023 Teacher of the Year.

Gov. Kim Reynolds made the announcement at a school assembly Monday.

Colbert has been a teacher for 16 years.

2023 Iowa Teacher of the Year Krystal Colbert
2023 Iowa Teacher of the Year Krystal Colbert

"I have always known from a very young age that I was going to be a teacher when I grew up," Colbert said in a video from the Iowa Department of Education. "I had a lot of amazing educators in my own life who helped shape that for me. I remember from a very young age I had teachers who made me feel valued and loved and respected, and I could really tell they cared about me as a person, and they cared about my success in the future."

She said she is excited and honored to be the teacher of the year, which was established by the Iowa Department of Education in 1958. Honorees serve as ambassadors to education.

More:Southeast Polk schools to start learning recovery program for students impacted by COVID

Colbert said she looks forward to visiting classrooms across the state and country and meeting educators who have dedicated themselves to bettering the lives of children.

"Life is really hard for children and school can be hard as well, so I think it's really important that we teach them that they can do hard things, they can face those challenges, they can step out of their comfort zone and they can achieve greatness when they do not let the fear of failure or the fear of making mistakes get in their way," Colbert said.

Colbert lives in Altoona with her husband, Jason, and children Jamison and Emersynn.

"I am proud of the amazing work Krystal Colbert is doing to make a difference in the lives of her students and the impact she is having on the education system in our state," Reynolds said in a statement. "Outstanding educators like Krystal see that possibilities for growth are endless when you connect students and what they are learning with their community. Every day, she leads by example, focusing on how to make education better so all students can and do perform at the highest levels."

Five finalists for 2023 Teacher of the Year also were named. They are:

  • Katie Weldon, middle school mathematics teacher, Norwalk Community School District

  • Amy Phillips, elementary teacher, in the Marshalltown Community School District

  • Lori Brandt, special education teacher, Sioux Center Community School District

  • Levi Letsche, high school mathematics teacher, Sheldon Community School District

  • Corrine Schalk, elementary teacher, Cedar Rapids Community School District

Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Southeast Polk teacher named Iowa's 2023 Teacher of the Year