The Pritts Perspective: Teaching with Heart and Data

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The Pritts Perspective: Teaching with Heart and Data ​Welcome!!!❤️ I'm Stephanie Pritts, the 2026 Iowa Teacher of the Year. Let's learn together! ✨

Follow along for evidence-based practices and a front-row seat to my journey as I travel Iowa and celebrate the phenomenal educators making a difference.

I had the absolute privilege of speaking to my very first group of nearly 200 pre-service teachers and students in the E...
10/07/2026

I had the absolute privilege of speaking to my very first group of nearly 200 pre-service teachers and students in the Education Department at Briar Cliff University! 💙💛

Briar Cliff holds such a special place in my heart, as this is where I earned my master’s degree. Being back on campus, seeing familiar faces, meeting so many new ones, and making connections that I hope will last a lifetime made this experience incredibly meaningful.

We started the day with a fun, classic game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to get things rolling! From there, we dug a little deeper into the importance of connecting with our students and colleagues, and the power of learning from and with the people around us.

I have never felt so welcomed, encouraged, proud, and inspired by an education department and its students. The respect, energy, and passion these future educators brought to the conversation reminded me once again why I love this profession so much.

I left with a very full heart and an even greater appreciation for the educators who are preparing the next generation of teachers. I feel incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to return to a place that helped shape me as an educator and now have the chance to pour back into future teachers. ❤️

Thank you, Briar Cliff University Education Department , for welcoming me back and allowing me to be part of such a special day! What an honor! 🥰

I just returned home from Washington Week, and I must say it was truly one of those experiences that I know I will carry...
10/04/2026

I just returned home from Washington Week, and I must say it was truly one of those experiences that I know I will carry with me for a life time. ❤️🇺🇸

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue learning, growing, and developing deeper relationships with the incredible Teachers of the Year from every state and territory. What a gift it has been to learn from educators who bring such passion, wisdom, and heart to this profession. We may come from different places and have different experiences, but our shared commitment to students connects us in such a powerful way.

This week gave me the opportunity to learn more about the possibilities of AI from Google as a resource to support teaching and learning, explore the Smithsonian and the incredible resources it offers educators, and hear from inspiring voices who reminded me why the work we do matters so much.

A few of the most meaningful moments came from hearing from the 2025 Teachers of the Year during our very own Teacher Talk/TED-style event. Their stories, passion, and perspectives were a beautiful reminder to keep showing up, keep learning, and keep using our voices to advocate for students and educators.

I also loved the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill, connect with our state senators and their staff, and share our stories of impact. Being able to talk about the work happening in our schools and the difference educators are making with the people who help shape education policy was such a meaningful experience.

Then, the week came to a close by tying everything up in one big, beautiful bow—the formal Gala celebrating all of the 2026 Teachers of the Year. There were so many laughs, tears of joy, heartfelt hugs, and moments of reflection as we celebrated not only the honor we have been given, but one another.

It was the perfect way to end an incredible week, not to say goodbye, but simply to say, “See you soon!” ❤️

I leave Washington with a full heart, a notebook full of ideas, a renewed sense of purpose, and an even greater appreciation for the people who make this profession so special.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn, developing forever relationships, and the unforgettable memories!

Washington Week may be over, but all the experiences that came with it and the inspiration will continue far beyond this week. ❤️

What an incredible privilege it is to represent Iowa. 🥰

Today I had the opportunity to present at the "Literacy Professional Learning Sessions" hosted by the Iowa Department of...
09/18/2026

Today I had the opportunity to present at the "Literacy Professional Learning Sessions" hosted by the Iowa Department of Education Literacy Team! 📚

This was my first Zoom presentation, and I am so grateful for the incredible support and encouragement from the literacy team as they walked me through the process. They made a first-time experience feel easy! 💙

We talked about High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM), MTSS, and what it looks like to provide strong instruction and support at every tier of learning. I loved being able to share our Sheldon Community Schools journey, along with practical tools and resources that educators can take back and use in their own schools.

I ended the session with a question for participants to think about:

What is going to be your Monday Move?

You don’t have to have everything figured out. Acknowledge where you are, identify your next step, and just get started. Sometimes progress begins with one small move in the right direction.

So, what’s going to be "your Monday Move?" 👣📚

Today I drove to Lone Tree, Iowa to celebrate and congratulate the 2027 Iowa Teacher of the Year, Jessica Howard, a busi...
09/17/2026

Today I drove to Lone Tree, Iowa to celebrate and congratulate the 2027 Iowa Teacher of the Year, Jessica Howard, a business and computer science teacher at Lone Tree Community Schools! She is an amazing educator and has so many accomplishments in her teaching career already! I can't wait to see the impact she will make!

The 10 1/2 hour total drive time today was even better with my awesome co-pilot Melanie Hjelm Bloom 2025 ITOY! She has been my lifeline and an awesome mentor as I navigate being 2026 ITOY. It is so nice to have the overlap so we can help support each other! My year of service will conclude on June 30, 2027 and Jessica will officially start her year of service July 1, 2027! I am so grateful for all these connections across the state and from school to school! 🥰

What an honor it was to be asked to give the coronation speech tonight at Sheldon High School! I was asked to talk abou...
09/16/2026

What an honor it was to be asked to give the coronation speech tonight at Sheldon High School! I was asked to talk about what it means to be an Orab. There is so much pride and joy in my heart, especially being raised an Orab and being an Orab graduate, coming back and teaching Orabs, and raising my own children as Orabs! I even had some of my students that I taught in first grade as royalty on the Homecoming court! I absolutely love and adore my Orab family and our Sheldon Community! Keep shining bright Sheldon Orabs and have a fun and memorable homecoming week! Thanks for thinking of me and letting me be a special part of it 🧡🖤

I got the opportunity to meet up and work with some extremely amazing leaders at Cherokee schools this week. We talked a...
09/16/2026

I got the opportunity to meet up and work with some extremely amazing leaders at Cherokee schools this week. We talked all things literacy, curriculum, data, and MTSS! I love learning from them! They truly have such amazing vision and direction for their district! I love that I can also support them in the awesome work they are doing! Can't wait to keep collaborating! Find your people and lean on each other! We are all in this together 🖤💛 + 🧡🖤

I am incredibly grateful and truly honored to have been asked to serve as the Grand Marshal for Sheldon’s Celebration Da...
09/09/2026

I am incredibly grateful and truly honored to have been asked to serve as the Grand Marshal for Sheldon’s Celebration Days Parade! ❤️

My heart is full of joy and pride for this amazing community I am so fortunate to call home. Being part of this celebration and seeing so many familiar faces made this experience incredibly special.

I will forever cherish this memory and the incredible honor of representing the community I love so much! 🎉💙

07/27/2026

***Disclaimer***
The views reflected on this page are my own and do not represent the Iowa Department of Education. Discussion of resources does not mean endorsement.

This page is a place to share stories and receive information. I encourage collaboration, but please respect the community and its members. The Department is not responsible for the accuracy of followers’ information, opinions, claims or advice.

I reserve the right to remove postings that are:
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Reaching for the stars, step by step! 🚀✨From conquering fears on the water aviation zipline to forming forever friendshi...
07/27/2026

Reaching for the stars, step by step! 🚀✨
From conquering fears on the water aviation zipline to forming forever friendships with incredible Teachers of the Year from across the country, Space Camp last week in Alabama was out of this world! But the biggest mission accomplished? Stepping out of my teacher shoes and stepping back into the shoes of a student. When we allow ourselves to be learners again by being vulnerable challenged and excited, we learn how to design better lessons and teach with deeper empathy for every child's journey! ❤️🛸

It's official! I received my badge and business cards from the Iowa Department of Ed! I went and checked out the build...
07/11/2026

It's official! I received my badge and business cards from the Iowa Department of Ed! I went and checked out the building and low and behold... the badge worked and got me up the elevator! I made a pit stop by Stefanie Rosenberg Wager's cubicle. She is a true lifesaver behind the scenes, always guiding and encouraging!!! I'd be lost without her 🥰. Let's do this!!! 🌟

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