September 2026 Excellence in Education Awards
Jerome Jt. School District No. 261
830 10th Ave E Jerome, Idaho 83338
Telephone (208) 324-2392 • FAX (208) 324-7609
Mr. Brent Johnson, Superintendent of Schools
The Jerome School District and Jiffy Lube/Burton Group announce the Excellence in Education recipients for September, 2026: Summit Elementary Teacher, Casey Kirk; Jerome High School Teacher, Vanessa Kortright; & Transportation Employee, Tony Sedano.
The Excellence in Education Award recipients for September, 2026 are:
Elementary Certified Recipient: Casey Kirk
Elementary certified recipient: Casey Kirk, was nominated by her colleague: “Casey would be an outstanding nominee for the Excellence in Education Award. Casey continually surprises me with the wonderful things she is doing with her firsties. She has fabulous classroom management skills and is regularly re-teaching expectations and routines to her students so that they have clarity in what they need to do. She teaches with high expectations and educational rigor and the data supports her success in this area. I have had the pleasure of seeing her grow and blossom into a fantastic classroom teacher, secure in her teaching skills and demonstrating outstanding leadership within our building as a co-leader on the PBIS committee. Every day her well of patience is full, displays a smile on her face and gives 110% to her firsties and her school. I am pleased to be able to nominate Casey as she is such a skilled, kind, and joyful teacher and leader!
She is an intelligent, kind and hardworking human! Our firsties are so lucky to have her...ALL 23 of them!!!"
Secondary Certified Recipient: Vanessa Kortright
Secondary certified recipient: Vanessa Kortright, was nominated by her colleague: “I have known Vanessa Kortright for 5 years. For the first 4 years she was an amazing paraprofessional for our district, teaching and reaching all students-not just the ones she was in the classroom with, but all students. She worked hard to remember every student's name and something about them. She worked hard to help every student where they were, advocating for them, and teaching them skills outside of the classroom. For instance, she hands out candy freely and expects every student to address her, ask kindly, and say thank you. I had the privilege of having her in my classroom for a semester, and her natural ability to teach students difficult concepts is exceptional.
This year she has stepped into the role of a 9th grade ELA teacher at the High School, and has surpassed any expectation any person has ever had for a first year teacher. She not only kept the same rigor for building relationships with all students, but has continued to build relationships with students while pushing them to work hard, learn more, and believe in their abilities. She works incredibly well with all staff, communicating with other ELA teachers, and collaborating on ways to help maintain equal expectations across all classrooms.
One of the coolest things she has done is class competitions, where students can earn prizes (food-and she spent a lot of her own money to do this). Her classes became more engaged and showed an incredible amount of growth in their content. Through this they pushed each other to go above expectations, come to class, and participate in everything. This is just one example of how she has integrated her love for her students and her love for education into her classroom and into the lives of her students. She really has a love for her students, and their education. The impact that she has on students is not only evident, but lasting, and Jerome School District is a better place because of her.”
Classified Staff Recipient: Tony Sedano
Classified staff recipient: Tony Sedano, was nominated by a staff member with these statements: “I am honored to nominate Tony Sedano for the Excellence in Education Award. Tony is truly the lifeblood of our delivery system within the Jerome School District, serving in a role that has historically been difficult to fill and even harder to sustain with consistency. Despite the challenges and the often thankless nature of this work, Tony approaches it each day with an incredibly positive attitude and an unwavering work ethic.
Tony is dependable in every sense of the word. He arrives at each school like clockwork, always with a warm smile and a kind word for everyone he meets. His consistent greeting—“Hello Miss”—is delivered with genuine respect and professionalism, and it has become a small but meaningful reflection of the care he brings to his role.
While Tony often works behind the scenes without recognition, his impact reaches far beyond his job description. He generously volunteers his time as a coach, where his passion for students is unmistakable. He encourages, mentors, and inspires them to strive for their best. It is clear that he is not only invested in their success but deeply cares about them as individuals. As I have traveled throughout the district with Tony, I have witnessed the joy on his face when he sees students he knows—greeting each by name, waving enthusiastically—and the admiration they return speaks volumes about the relationships he has built.
Last Spring, I had the opportunity to witness Tony’s character in the face of an especially challenging situation. I requested his assistance with a large curriculum delivery to multiple schools, which required the use of a district truck not designed to handle such a load. Throughout the day, numerous complications arose—none of them his fault. Heavy boxes had to be manually unloaded, carried, and restacked in difficult conditions, including cold wind, heavy rain, damaged pallets, and even an unexpected fire drill that left him waiting outside for 45 minutes.
Where others might have expressed frustration or hesitation, Tony remained patient, kind, and steadfast. Not once did he complain or seek recognition for going above and beyond expectations. Instead, when I repeatedly apologized, he simply responded with reassurance: “It’s ok, Miss.” His calm demeanor and willingness to persevere without complaint spoke volumes about his character.
There are individuals you meet in life whose goodness is immediately evident—Tony is one of those rare people. He is a kind, humble, and dedicated individual who quietly and consistently makes a difference. In a world where those working behind the scenes are often overlooked, Tony stands out as someone who truly deserves recognition.
Thank you for considering Tony Sedano for this honor. I can think of no one more deserving of the Excellence in Education Award.”
The Excellence in Education Award program began in 2016 and continues through the 2026-2027 school year and has recognized the district’s outstanding teachers and classified staff each month, for a full list of award recipients contact the district office. The Jerome School District presents each recipient a plaque with a $50 gift card provided by Jiffy Lube/Burton Group at the monthly school board meetings.
The community is highly encouraged to nominate any staff member from the Jerome School District. To do so, please visit: https://www.jeromeschools.org/excellence-in-education.
