Photo by August Kryger / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Dawn Smith, center, of Central High School, reacts after learning that she is this year’s recipient of the Teacher of the Year award at the recognition ceremony on Thursday. Denise Dibella of Robidoux Middle School, left, and Julia Chambers of Truman Middle School, right, also were nominees for the award.

The St. Joseph School District Foundation, the board of education, administrators and local businesses honored school district educators and employees Thursday.

A Central High School language arts teacher and departmental chairwoman, Dawn Smith, won recognition as the 2009-10 teacher of the year. About 400 employees attended the reception and ceremonies Thursday at the district’s Keatley Center.

“I became a teacher because my mother was my first teacher,” Ms. Smith said. She promised that she and her peers would continue to do the district’s 53 retirees proud. Those retirees were recognized earlier in the program.

Bender’s Total Home Health Care presented Ms. Smith with a check for $2,000. Julia Chambers, a Truman Middle School science teacher, and Denise Dibella, a Robidoux Middle School foreign language teacher, were the runners-up and received $500 checks.

Brad McAnally, Hy-Vee store director and chairman of the district’s foundation, announced that Jean West, a social worker at Central High School and homeless program assistant for the district, will be the support person of the year.

A 10-year veteran with the district, Ms. West said working with students on so many issues offers a tremendous amount of variety that keeps her active and enjoying her job.

Mr. McAnally presented Ms. West with a $500 check and also gave checks to the other two finalists: Nona Miller, a family involvement coordinator at Lake Contrary Elementary, and Linda Tyler, a secretary at Noyes Elementary.

On behalf of the Meierhoffer family, Todd Meierhoffer recognized Darren Verbick, the district’s elementary fine arts coordinator and a music teacher at Hosea, Edison, Hall and Central, as innovator of the year. The award recognized Mr. Verbick’s work with “Enhancing Literacy through Curriculum Based Readers’ Theater.” The program is one of three in the state that are connected with the National Kennedy Center Partnership Program. Mr. Meierfoffer presented checks to Mr. Verbick and the other finalists in the innovator category.

A total of 27 projects created by 48 teachers in 12 elementary schools, three middle schools and all three high schools were recognized by the district’s foundation with Apple Seed Grants. Checks for the creative projects, designed to assist students, amounted to between $200 and $4,000 each.

Hamilton Henderson of Central High School received a pin for his 40 years with the school district. A total of 29 employees received 20-year service pins, 12 employees got 25-year pins and 16 employees earned 30-year pins.