A high school teacher in Mount Vernon was named the 2019 Washington state Teacher of the Year.
Robert Hand, a family and consumer sciences teacher at Mount Vernon High School, was named teacher of the year on Monday by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal during a ceremony in Seattle. Hand has been teaching at Mount Vernon High School since 2013.
“Robert cares about his students as individuals,” Reykdal said. “He also makes sure his teaching goes beyond the classroom and relates to the community. As just one example, he led his class to display the flags and colors of 11 of the countries from which students at Mount Vernon High School come.”
A former student said Hand is a special teacher that shows personal interest in his students.
“I got pregnant at 16. Any other teacher would have given up on me, but Mr. Hand loves to get to know all his students to try to facilitate and nourish their learning experience,” the unnamed student said. “Mr. Hand got to know my struggles and did what a lot of other teachers didn't: He actually acknowledged them. After this, he didn't lower his expectations of me because he knew I was as capable as any other student who had the privileges I didn't.”
Hand has also been an adviser for the Social Justice Club and for the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America.
“Robert cares about his students as individuals,” Reykdal said. “He also makes sure his teaching goes beyond the classroom and relates to the community.”
Hand is now in the running for National Teacher of the Year. The winner will be announced at the White House this spring during a special ceremony.
Mandy Manning, an English and math teacher in Spokane, was named the 2018 National Teacher of the Year in April.
