GRAND FORKS – Five outstanding educators were inducted into the 2024 Grand Forks Public Schools Teachers Hall of Fame during a ceremony at Red River High School.
A dessert reception followed the Oct. 6 ceremony.
The inductees are: Linda Christenson (posthumously), Marlon (“Buck”) Kasowski, Dean Opp, Vicki Peake and Brad Sherwood.
Christenson, who served for 30 years as a passionate literature teacher, inspired countless students to love reading, according to a GFPS Facebook post. She inspired students “to appreciate, comprehend and deeply connect with timeless literature,” the district said in an event announcement.
A former student wrote that she “was hands down the best teacher I ever had. She had the intelligence of a college professor and the compassion of an elementary teacher. She was the reason I became inspired to become a teacher. … I can only hope to someday become half the teacher she was.”
Christenson, who died in July 2004, left a legacy that lives on through her students and family, according to the district’s news release. Her husband, Duane Christenson, and her children accepted the award in her honor.
Kasowski, a math teacher and coach at South Junior High School from 1979 to 1994, was known for his compassionate leadership and ability to connect with everyone in the school community. He was an associate principal at Valley Junior High School from 1994 to 1995, and an associate principal and principal at Grand Forks Central High School from 1995 to 2019. “(His) impact on our schools and students is immeasurable,” according to the district’s announcement. “His caring and compassionate nature made him more than just a principal; he was a mentor, role model and a source of unwavering support.
“His ability to connect with students, staff and parents on a personal level fostered a sense of belonging and unity within our school community. Buck Kasowski is truly one of a kind and very deserving of this honor.”
Contributed / Grand Forks Public Schools
Opp, a speech and drama teacher at Red River High School from 1985 to 2020, directed the district’s Summer Performing Arts (SPA) program and summer school from 1988 to 2020. He left an indelible mark on the RRHS theater program. An excerpt from the school’s 2020 yearbook reads, “Many people come to RRHS drama productions and think, ‘Cool show!’ but they don’t always realize how many months are spent planning, designing, creating, coaching and preparing for the show. Dean Opp has left a huge mark on RRHS, and the theater program at RRHS is better because Opp was a major part of it.”
Peake devoted her 52-year career to teaching reading, health, English and literature at Valley Middle School. According to a nomination letter, “Mrs. Peake was one of those teachers who truly made an impact on her students. You knew when you entered her classroom that you would be held to high expectations but would also have fun, learn and laugh. Mrs. Peake had a small stature but a bigger-than-life heart and personality. She was always happy and bubbly, and her voice and laugh are ones I won’t forget.”
Sherwood, a vocal music teacher at RRHS, instilled a deep love for music and empathy in his students. He taught vocal music at Valley Junior High School from 1989 to 1992 and vocal music, guitar and harmony at RRHS from 1992 to 2020. His influence extended far beyond the classroom, as he served as program director for the SPA program and music coordinator for the school district.
Contributed / Grand Forks Public Schools
“Brad is an amazing teacher who has changed the lives of so many students,” according to a letter of nomination. “He teaches them empathy and responsibility and gives them a passion for music. I’ve never met a finer educator who cares so deeply for the lives entrusted to him.”
The Teachers Hall of Fame was created in 1995 by the Grand Forks Foundation for Education and Alumni Network as a means of publicly thanking and recognizing outstanding and memorable retired educators who have made an impact on students.
The Hall of Fame also is a means to honor the teaching profession as a whole for its vital role in shaping the future of individuals and society.
To be eligible for induction, teachers must have been retired from Grand Forks Public Schools at least one year. Former elementary and secondary classroom teachers, administrators, counselors and librarians are eligible to receive this honor.
Inductees are selected every other year by the Alumni Network Advisory Committee.
Nominations of retired educators are accepted from former students, colleagues or the general public. Nominations may be submitted at any time at the website:
https://bit.ly/GFPSTeachersHallofFameForm
.
For more information, go to
https://gffe.gfschools.org/alumni/teacher-hall-of-fame
or contact Emilia Hodgson, executive director of the Grand Forks Foundation for Education, at (701) 787-4866 or
ehodgson290@mygfschools.org
.
