Nebo's Ryan Rigby, a teacher at Spanish Oaks Elementary, was awarded the Outstanding Elementary Teacher by the Region 10 PTA.
Fellow colleague, Megann McKendrick, a fourth-grade teacher at Spanish Oaks, submitted the following:
“Ryan has been teaching at Spanish Oaks since the school opened in 2001, and he has changed hundreds of lives for the better. He is married to his wonderful wife, Julie; and they have three children. They love gardening, traveling, and spending quality time together.
“In his own words he believes, ‘It still is a privilege and a special responsibility to be a teacher.’
“He is the Nebo District Fourth-Grade Social Studies Leader and has created lessons and activities for the whole district to use. Ryan includes the parents at our school in decisions made in the classroom and is open to others’ ideas. He volunteers after school hours to help during PTA school fundraisers. Ryan has been honored as a Nebo Hero and has been recognized for his character through the Nebo District PEAK award.
“A parent at Spanish Oaks said, ‘Ryan was the perfect teacher for my two boys. He leads and directs in such a calming way, and that’s exactly what they needed. Ryan teaches respectfully, and in return he is respected by his students.’
“Ryan knows that teaching techniques are constantly changing in education and technology, and he embraces change with positivity even when teachers are asked to do something out of their comfort zone. For example, when teaching went online last year, he spent countless hours preparing engaging lessons and making sure the parents and students knew exactly what they needed to know. Even though he could work from home, he came to the school each day to be sure he was giving the students and parents his best work. He didn’t shy away from making videos and creating hyperdocs, and he used Google Classroom beautifully. Parents told me how much they liked what Ryan did for the online learning, and how user friendly he was able to make it. He kept students learning through a challenging pandemic and helped families keep their sanity by keeping his online learning interesting and straightforward.
“Ryan loves teaching science and social studies and has sparked the imagination of children so that they learn to love the subjects as well. He’s enthusiastic each year when putting together science experiments for his class to see, and these science memories become ingrained in their minds and inspire them to do their own experiments throughout their lives. He even lets his students collect bugs and keep them in a glass aquarium, so they can be studious entomologists. They absolutely love this, and are overheard each year sharing how cool Mr. Rigby is for letting them do this. He is constantly putting in extra time to learn new fun and creative ways to teach lessons. I’ve walked into his room many times and found him working on a new art project or preparing a new activity for his class. You would think after his many years of experience he would use the same materials and lessons, but that is definitely not the case--he’s a constant learner.
“A great quality Ryan has is his ability to help others see how they can use similar creative teaching, positivity, and kindness. He teaches us through his example and his willingness to collaborate.
“Janae Sled, a new teacher on the fourth-grade team said, ‘Ryan, in one word is thoughtful. He wants to make sure that I have everything that I need, and that I understand the curriculum. He shares his ideas and lessons with me, and his lessons are thorough and fun for the students. He has made my first year of teaching so much easier, and I am grateful to be on his team.’
“Ryan gets to know people well and works to be a friend to those around him. In the morning he is checking in on others and asking about other teachers’ days. He makes you feel important and happy. One year on my birthday when I was just out of a relationship, he came up with the idea to have the fourth-grade team get me flowers. It completely took me by surprise and made me feel so special. I will always remember that act of kindness. He is on the lookout daily for ways he can help others, which shows he has so much selflessness and grit. Ryan is a great man, and we are extremely lucky to have such a positive force for good like Ryan at our school and in our community!”
Congratulations Ryan Rigby for being a Nebo Hero!!
Photo 1: Principal Ryan Murray, Ryan Rigby, Megann McKendrick, Region 10 PTA President Joann Brown, PTA Member, School Board President Christine Riley, Superintendent Rick Nielsen
Photo 2: Principal Ryan Murray, Ryan Rigby, PTA President Kelsey Glenn
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