In the Spring of 2019, the London City School District published its Portrait of a Graduate, which highlights the key skills and attitudes necessary for district graduates to have success in college and careers. Our district uses the Portrait of a Graduate to help design meaningful teaching and learning experiences for our students. In a similar way during the Spring of 2022, the London City School District worked to identify and publish the most valued skills and dispositions that educators should demonstrate daily to help prepare our students to be future-ready. These skills include:
Effective Communication,
Focused on Relationship-Building,
Being Flexible and Adaptable,
Demonstrating High Integrity; and,
Being a role model for Life-Long Learning.
Angie Kanning was recently recognized during the February Regular Board of Education meeting for substantially demonstrating the district’s Portrait of an Educator. Congratulations Mrs. Kanning!
Nominated by Mrs. Mills and Mrs. Gaston
Angie Kanning, a Kindergarten teacher at London Elementary School, is without a doubt the Portrait of an Educator we strive for. Angie has been a teacher at London City Schools for twenty-eight years. She is truly a beacon of warmth and compassion in the lives of her young students. She effortlessly creates a nurturing environment where each child feels valued and loved. From personal phone calls home, introducing herself at the beginning of the year, to sending postcards home to students on their birthdays, Angie goes out of her way to express how much she cares.
Her classroom is a vibrant, engaging space filled with colorful decorations and interactive learning tools, reflecting her dedication to making education a joyful experience. She tailors her lessons to cater to diverse learning styles, ensuring that every student flourishes under her guidance. She has always been welcoming to new English language learners and makes them feel comfortable in a new place and most of the time in a new country. Mrs. Kanning’s amazing ability to instill confidence, instigate curiosity, and foster a love for learning makes her not just a teacher but a role model for colleagues and future educators.
Her colleague Mrs Gaston shared the following about Angie, “The first word that comes to mind when I think of Angie is SELFLESS. She is the first person to volunteer when someone needs help. The first person to offer words of encouragement when someone is down. She is the kind of friend that offers to give blood when your daughter is having open heart surgery, calls to check on you when you are sick, babysits your potty-training toddler for you so you and your husband can have a date, remembers you and your kids birthday and so much more. She smiles when others would be in a ball on the floor crying. She worries about the kiddos in her room and her school people too even when she is carrying around an amount of her worry that would be unbearable for most. She handles all that is ever thrown at her with grace. I want to be like Angie Kanning when I grow up!”
In the quiet strength of her unwavering love, Angie, a devoted mother, has navigated the daily challenges of caring for her son Grant with grace and resilience. Her journey is a testament to the extraordinary lengths a mother will go to ensure her child feels cherished, protected, and capable of overcoming any obstacle life presents. These values carry over into the classroom and are an example for others to follow.
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