Name: Jennifer Keller

School: Harrison Hill

Grade/Subject teaching: Fourth grade

Education: University of Saint Francis, elementary K-5, special education/mild intervention

Years teaching: 3 1/2 years

City born: Fort Wayne

City raised: Leo-Cedarville

Current hometown: Leo-Cedarville

Family:Husband Kurt Keller; three children; A.J. (13), Ethan (5) and Bethany (4).

Last book read: “The Other Boleyn Girl” by Philippa Gregory

Favorite teacher: Mr. Steve Brace, Shambaugh Elementary, fifth grade, and Professor Susan Holleran, University of Saint Francis.

Favorite class in school: I always liked reading.

Favorite teaching memory: There have been many sweet, funny and heartwarming memories, but I believe the best teaching memories for all teachers, including myself, are when your students finally “get it.” That’s when you know that you have done your job well!

Do you think teacher evaluations should be tied to test scores? Evaluating teachers based on standardized test scores is not an accurate evaluation of performance because, on any given day, there are too many factors outside of the teachers’ control that could affect student performance.

Nominator: Matt Angel

Reason for nomination: “Jennifer works with a great deal of kids that come from low- or no-income families. To ensure that all of her students have the same opportunities, she regularly purchases everyday items for her kids that most families take for granted: gloves, scarves, hats, et al. These seem like small gestures, but combined with the normal out-of-pocket expenses incurred by teachers, as well as the extra time involved with things like this, it says a lot about her.

“She is truly awe inspiring, and any child who has been in her class has been changed for the better by the experience. If I could be guaranteed that my son could continue to have her as a teacher through high school, we would put him wherever she went.”