SPRINGFIELD—A Springfield teacher has been named one of eight finalists for the prestigious Educator of the Year award, presented by the OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education. Katie Ryan, who teaches 9th-12th grade science at the Academy of Arts and Academics in the Springfield School District, is the only finalist from our region.
This award recognizes teachers, counselors, librarians, or school administrators for grades Pre-K-12 employed at accredited public, private, or charter schools across Oregon and Washington counties served by OnPoint. The winners will receive one year’s mortgage or rent payments and a $2,500 donation for their schools, while the other four finalists will be awarded a $5,000 cash prize and a $1,500 donation for school resources and supplies.
“Every year, we are proud to uplift the schools and educators making a meaningful difference in their communities,” said Rob Stuart, president and CEO of OnPoint Community Credit Union. “They’re creating inclusive spaces and designing learning experiences that connect students to the world around them.”
Ryan’s journey
This marks Ryan’s fifth year in education. She began her teaching career with 6th graders just weeks before the COVID-19 lockdown. Shortly thereafter, her husband was accepted into graduate school in Knoxville, Tenn. During the next two years, she taught 7th, 8th, and 9th-grade science at a Title I school.
“That experience opened my eyes to the resource disparities that exist in public education. We taught in person throughout the pandemic, with only a two-week shutdown due to staff illness,” Ryan said.
In the 2022-23 school year, she transitioned to online teaching, allowing her to travel the country in their van.
“I would log in to teach from remote corners of Alaska or Wyoming, then we’d hit the road again. We’re avid backcountry skiers, so we chased snow wherever it was falling,” Ryan said. The couple eventually decided on the Eugene/Springfield area, where she’s completed her second year at A3.
She reassures her students, “You’ll find my bones in the walls,” emphasizing her commitment to staying.
Teach on the job
Ryan’s students rarely use traditional tests or quizzes.
“Instead, we assess understanding through public displays of learning such as art, performance, written reflection, or project presentations,” she said. By using strategic rubrics, students are expected to apply learning to real-world contexts.
“I’ve led projects where we’ve partnered with local conservationists and engineers. … Watching them make those connections — to their learning, to their community, and to their potential — is the best part of this job,” she said.
In the fall, A3 partnered with Oregon Shores to develop awareness materials on Sea Star Wasting Syndrome (SSWS). To create public materials, students needed to grasp ecosystem concepts, nutrient cycles, keystone species, and predator-prey relationships. Ryan emphasized the importance of integrating and applying this knowledge to address real issues affecting Sea Stars in the region.
Another example is from a physics unit on waves; students created an integrated art and science installation. “One group made a large-scale portrait of civil rights activist Diane Nash using two colors to represent opposing views of her activism,” she said.
Students are encouraged to ask questions and investigate answers.
“In the coming weeks, my students will be working with sourdough starters. To figure out the best conditions for yeast growth, they’ll manipulate variables like food sources and pH levels,” she said. “My goal is for students to walk away with the tools to understand how the world works.”
Winners and runners-up will be announced on May 22, and the announcement will be broadcast live on KGW.
