Chelsea Howerton, Kindergarten teacher at Atlas Elementary School, has been selected as this year’s Rookie Elementary Teacher of the Year!
What makes Chelsea an exceptional teacher isn’t just her dedication—it’s how she teaches. She believes in scaffolding and differentiation, ensuring that every student receives the support they need to grow. She engages young minds with open-ended questions and classroom discussions, encouraging critical thinking from the very start. But perhaps most importantly, she builds a classroom culture of independence, kindness, and responsibility, where students know they are capable of achieving great things.
Chelsea’s teaching philosophy is simple yet powerful: "I Can Do Hard Things." She instills this mindset in her students by celebrating progress, fostering perseverance, and using writing instruction to build confidence and self-expression. Through student choice, goal-setting, and scaffolding, she empowers her students to embrace challenges with determination.
Congratulations Chelsea!