Strenger named HSCSD teacher of the year

A Thermopolis Middle School teacher was recently named the Hot Springs County School District’s Teacher of the Year for 2021.

Thermopolis Middle School Principal Steven Soderstrom presented sixth-grade teacher Jacob Strenger to the Hot Springs County School District Board of Trustees as the Teacher of the Year during their May 20 meeting.

Soderstrom lamented that, as recently as two years ao, he had yet to witness Strenger teaching firsthand. “In my new position, I get to see and learn from him,” said Soderstrom, who lauded Strenger for living up to the dictum that students should always learn something they didn’t know the day before.

“If you watch Mr. Strenger teach, he refuses to let kids not learn. He’ll do whatever he has to … I’ve seen him make them stand on the tables, and hold their pencils up, just to make sure they’re all locked in. He refuses to let them not grow,” said Soderstrom.

Strenger recalled how, the day after he interviewed for a position at the Hot Springs County School District, “I drove back to Laramie and hopped on a school bus full of fourth-graders,” so they could embark on a field trip of the state of Wyoming together, to cover its history, and their first stop just so happened to be in Thermopolis.

“I think we were in the middle of Shirley Basin when Mrs. Daniels calls and offers me the job,” Strenger said, referring to Hot Springs County High School Principal Breez Daniels.

“So the kids dropped me off at the middle school, and of course, everyone had to walk in and make a spectacle of things,” said Strenger.

That night, as the group stayed in the Ralph Winters Elementary gymnasium, Strenger’s mentor-teacher confidently predicted, “You’re going to raise your kids here,” and “Your son is going to go to school here,” which Stranger hoped would be the case at the time.

“I had no idea how the year was going to end up,” Strenger said. “Was I going to be good at this? Was it going to work out? But now, here I am, eight years later, and I’ve got to say, I’m super-grateful for having the opportunity to send my kids to school here. We truly do have some of the best schools, probably in the nation.”

Strenger attributed the excellence he sees in the Hot Springs County School District’s schools to those who also work for the district, including its board of trustees.

“I know you guys have a commitment to greatness,” Strenger told the board members on May 20. “We have high goals, and we work the hardest to achieve those.”

Strenger singled out Board Clerk Nichole Weyer as “my biggest supporter,” to which she laughed and replied, “I adore you,” before he again mentioned Daniels as “my true mentor,” and even described himself as “a product of (her) leadership and support.”

“We’ve created kind of a hotbed to recruit, develop and retain teachers,” Strenger said. “That just trickles down, and the students benefit from that greatly. I look forward to being here for a long time.”

Dustin Hunt, superintendent of the Hot Springs County School District, expressed his appreciation to Strenger for his commitment to the classroom and the community alike.

“The  example you set for our students is really just amazing,” Hunt said. “I think you’re going to represent us extremely well at the state level.”

Hunt commended Strenger as equally committed to his colleagues.“Some folks with his skill sets might not be as likely to share them, but he is all about the entire team, and helping everybody out,” Hunt said. “I’m super-proud of you, and I think our committee made a fantastic choice, with a lot of tough decisions, so congratulations.”