Mrs. Kaus with the 2015 National History Day National Qualifiers
Mrs. Kaus, Chadron Middle School's 7th-8th grade Social Studies teacher, received the Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award at the State National History Day competition in Lincoln last Saturday and is a nominee for the national award. The Patricia Behring Teacher of the year Award is awarded to two teachers from each NHD affiliate and eligibility criteria includes: 1) the development and use of creative teaching methods that interest students in history and help them make exciting discoveries about the past; 2) exemplary commitment to helping students develop their interest in history and recognize their achievements.
Mrs. Kaus requires all of her 7th and 8th grade students to complete a National History Day project as part of the social studies curriculum and students have the option to develop a competition quality project. Over the past three years, Chadron Middle School has had 70 students compete at the regional level, 45 compete at state, and 23 students have competed at Nationals in Washington D.C. She has spend countless hours before school, after school, and on the weekends working with students on these projects to help them narrow their topic, edit their process papers, and follow the rules of the competition. She encourages students to share their work with the community and students have presented to their projects to the Chadron School Board, The Daughters of the American Revolution, and Chadron Rotary Club.
In addition to NHD projects and the other fun an innovative assignments that students complete in her class, Mrs. Kaus is the chief organizer of the annual CMS Veteran's Day Celebration, which has become an event that many community members attend and look forward to each year.
Congratulations to Mrs. Kaus on receiving this well deserved honor!
