I have been fortunate to work with many amazing teachers who have each played a role in challenging me to become the best teacher I can be. The Presidential Award represents the culmination of their tutelage, support, and encouragement as I have worked to provide an engaging and meaningful learning environment for the students passing through my classroom doors. I am humbled by this honor which inspires me to continue working each day to improve my practice for the betterment of all my students.

Stephanie Steines Decorah, IA | 7-12, Mathematics, 2021

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Stephanie Steines has taught a variety of mathematics classes, including Algebra I, Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics, and AP Chemistry, at Decorah High School for 23 years. She currently teaches Algebra I, Precalculus, and AP Statistics. Prior to her tenure in Decorah, she taught mathematics and science for one year at Postville High School and spent two years teaching science at Fillmore Central High School. Stephanie aims to create an active learning environment in which students are engaged in discourse with a focus on development of mathematical understanding. Students in her classroom work together to explore concepts and develop problem solving skills. She encourages students to maintain a growth mindset while they learn from their errors and build stronger, deeper understanding of mathematics. Stephanie has served as a reader for AP Statistics every summer since 2014, gaining insight into the AP Statistics exam. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM). In 2022, Stephanie began a term on the ICTM Board as the Keystone Area Education Agency Regional Director. She also serves on the Iowa Higher Education Mathematics Transition Advisory Council, which focuses on the transition between high school and introductory collegiate level mathematics. In her district, Stephanie has worked as a cooperating teacher with pre-service education students and has served as the Department Representative on the District Professional Learning Community Team since 2018. Stephanie earned a B.A., summa cum laude, in mathematics and chemistry from Luther College and an M.A. in mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa. She is certified in 5-12 mathematics and 5-12 chemistry.

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