Teacher of the Month

2023 - 2024 Teachers of the Month

Nominate a teacher here!

kgSeptember 2023 - Kira Gilbert

Central High Schools teacher of the month for September 2023 is Kira Gilbert. Ms. Gilbert is a Spanish teacher. Eighteen years ago she started working at USD 305 as a para educator, then a substitute. Ms. Kira has been teaching Spanish here at Central for 3 years. Her inspiration to become a teacher were the same students whom she had the opportunity to teach for many years in the different stages of work in the school district. She was always sure that her vocation would be to work as a teacher. What she loves about teaching is filling the students with good energy where all her students can be in class with a beautiful smile. Ms. Gilbert's message to parents and the community is "highlight the positive characteristics that your children have. It will help them be better human beings and they will try to be more successful everyday. Explain to them when wrong decisions are made, bad results can be obtained, but those mistakes will help them be a better person".  



October 2023 - Trey Cullins

T.cullinsCentral High Schools teacher of the month for October 2023 is Trey Cullins. Mr. Cullins is an English teacher. He has been teaching for four years. One year has been in Junction City, one at Lakewood Middle School and two here at Central. His reason for teaching is he likes to incorporate his skills to positively impact students everyday. Most of his his mentors and role models throughout his life have been teachers, his parents and professors who instilled confidence in his abilities. What he loves about teaching is that storytelling is crucial for understanding human condition, and he enjoys leading students through challenging texts to learn about themselves and others. Joy and hope are evident when students achieve unexpected goals. Mr. Cullins message to parents and the community is " teaching involves imparting ideas and igniting within others. Working with a powerful staff at USD305 improved his teaching skills and motivated him to give back to the community that raised him".




November 2023 - Jennifer Buchholz

jbCentral High Schools teacher of the month for November 2023 is Jennifer Buchholz. Ms. Buchholz is a special education science teacher. She has been teaching for twenty six years, which twenty four of those have been here at Salina Central. Growing up, teaching was a passion, inspired by great elementary teachers. Her biggest inspiration was her 3rd grade teacher who stood out for her patience, kindness, and welcoming approach, fostering fun educational projects. What she enjoys the most about teaching is getting to know the students. She gets to watch them mature and grow into capable adults throughout their 4 years at Central. Ms. Buchholz's message to parents and the community is "stay involved in your student's education throughout high school. Support from families is as important during high school as it was in elementary school".





December 2023 - Kevin Patrick 

k.patrickCentral High Schools teacher of the month for December 2023 is Kevin Patrick. Mr. Patrick is science teacher. He has been teaching for twenty eight years, which three of those have been here at Salina Central. Mr. Patrick chose teaching as his profession after being inspired by his high school teacher Mr. Dahlsten who continued to encourage him throughout college. He enjoys helping people understand complex ideas and teaching them new skills for their future. What he enjoys most about teaching is building a relationship with each and every student and watch them come up with creative solutions to solve problems. Mr. Patrick's message to parents and the community would be "to lead by example and strive to create a positive and inspiring environment where the student can excel". 





January 2024 - Angela Botz

A.BotzCentral High Schools teacher of the month for January 2024 is Angela Botz. Ms.Botz is a special education math teacher. She has been teaching for three years. She chose teaching as her profession because she had a passion for helping students reach their full potential that was inspired by Julie Opat and Marysa McCartney. What Ms. Botz enjoys the most about teaching is seeing a student's aha moment when they understand the concept. Her message to parents and the community would be " encourage students to read, help them with homework, and congratulate them on their achievements. This will significantly impact their performance".  








February 2024 - Guillermo Rodriguez

G.RodriguezCentral High Schools teacher of the month for February 2024 is Guillermo Rodriguez. Mr. Rodriguez is the band teacher. He has been teaching for seven years, which three of those have been here at Salina Central. He chose teaching as his profession after his high school band director, Steve Holloman created the opportunity for him to tutor fifth grade saxophone students after school. What he enjoys about teaching the most is seeing the pride in students when they accomplish a task they have been working towards, from fifth grade beginners learning their first song to high school students performing in state ensembles. His message to parents and the community would be "live in the moment and enjoy the experiences your children have in school. Celebrate and encourage involvement in the many great programs offered in our public schools. Thank you to everyone who inspired my passion in music and pedagogy".