Newport Primary School kindergarten teacher Kaleigh Rougraff has been named a VFW Teacher of the Year in the State of Kentucky.
Rougraff, in her seventh year at Newport, was named the elementary school teacher of the year and was honored for promoting patriotism, civic responsibility, American flag etiquette and Americanism on the local, regional and statewide level. Winners were also announced in the high school and middle school teacher categories.
“Kaleigh is an extraordinary kindergarten teacher,” said Newport Primary School Principal Matt Atkins. “Each school year she develops an inclusive, positive classroom culture where every student knows they are important and loved. She has very high expectations for each student and places a strong emphasis on respect and kindness towards everyone. Kaleigh also develops strong, long-lasting relationships with her students’ guardians ensuring there is a partnership between the school and home. She is very deserving of this recognition.”
While other Newport teachers have previously won the local and regional VFW awards, Rougraff is believed to be the first statewide winner. She was nominated for the award by Molly Wesley, coordinator of the Newport Primary Family Resource Center, and Amanda Barbour, the school’s Behavior Intervention Specialist and a former winner of the VFW Teacher of the Year award on the local level.
“While I am completely flattered, gracious, and honored to be receiving any acknowledgement, this award to me is more of a nod to all of the hard work that we have poured into our school, our district, and our Newport families in my time at Newport and long before I arrived,” Rougraff said. “During my first year of teaching we created a group of teachers with a common goal – change.”
“Since then, we have cultivated a schoolwide culture of respect and positivity,” she said. “We have created a rigorous and supportive learning environment, and a resource-rich haven for our families. I firmly believe that every teacher and staff member at our school deserves an award or recognition such as this, and I am simply proud to represent them.”
A native of Indianapolis, Rougraff came to the area to play volleyball at Xavier University. Originally an English and communications major, she turned to education in the last semester of her senior year after taking an early childhood literature class as an elective.
“I realized that teaching was exactly what I wanted to do,” she said.
Rougraff landed in Newport as a student teacher and has been with the district ever since.
“My passion is working with children,” she said. “I enjoy watching them explore, learn social skills, and grow in their abilities. In kindergarten, they come to us with the ability to hold a crayon and leave us reading, writing multiple sentences, and representing problems with math equations. The amount of growth that this age of student is capable of is absolutely fascinating and totally gratifying.”
To win an award that recognizes civic responsibility carries a special meaning for Rougraff.
“One of the most wonderful aspects of being a teacher at Newport is the diverse population of students,” she said. “In my classroom, we have many different languages, cultures, beliefs, and values much like the United States as a whole. We focus on creating a climate of mutual respect while acknowledging that our differences are what make us valuable members of society.”
“I think that this is exactly what citizenship looks like in a kindergarten classroom,” she added. “The skills they learn in our classroom are the foundation by which they will discover their role in shaping the future of our country.”
Rougraff said she is also especially honored to win the award during a period of tremendous challenges faced by teachers due to the COVID pandemic.
“Forming relationships with students and teaching them grade-level skills through Google-meet was not something I ever expected to do, nor has it been an easy task,” she said. “It has pushed us to our creative and technological potential. It has been frustrating, time-consuming, uncertain, and enlightening. Receiving this award at this time is a nice reminder that I am making a noticeable difference.”
Newport Independent Schools