At LINK nky, we believe that educators – whether they are teachers or principals, tutors or superintendents – are at the heart of our community’s success. The Educator of the Week contest is our way of recognizing and celebrating the incredible educators who go above and beyond for Northern Kentucky students every day.
Each week, we will choose three nominees who have made an impact on their community and who represent a diverse mix of roles, grade levels, subject areas, school types and geographic locations.
Click here for a full list of official rules and to nominate an educator.
The Educators
Educator: Megan Rider
Role: Teacher at Campbell County Middle School
Nominator: Shelbi Hitch
Why Hitch nominated Rider:
Mrs. Rider has served as a strong mentor to her team this year, intentionally creating a collaborative atmosphere and building capacity among her colleagues. She consistently supports those around her, helping to strengthen instructional practices and promote a positive, team-centered culture.
Beyond her work in the classroom, Mrs. Rider devotes a significant amount of time outside of school serving as an academic coach. Her commitment to student success extends well beyond the school day, as she works to ensure all students are supported and challenged. Additionally, she goes above and beyond to help create meaningful experiences and incentives for our 8th grade students. Organizing events such as a student trip and dance.
Educator: Jeri Fisher
Role: Teacher at Twenhofel Middle School
Nominator: Kelsey Perrin
Why Perrin nominated Fisher:
Ms. Fisher is the kind of teacher who never seeks the spotlight, yet truly deserves it more than most. After more than 40 years of dedicated service in education, she is officially retiring this year, leaving behind an incredible legacy that has touched countless students, families, and colleagues.
Throughout her career, Ms. Fisher has gone far beyond the classroom. She led the middle school volleyball program at Twenhofel for over 15 years and also coached basketball, impacting students both athletically and personally. In her current role as a lead special education teacher, she continues to set the standard for excellence, compassion, and commitment. She is not only a leader in her field but also a genuine mentor to her colleagues, always willing to share her knowledge, offer guidance, and support those around her.
I feel especially fortunate to have known Ms. Fisher in so many different roles throughout her career. She was my sister’s teacher, my volleyball and basketball coach, and now she is my coworker. In every one of those roles, she has been a constant source of encouragement, wisdom, and inspiration. Like so many others in our building, I have personally benefited from her mentorship and example.
What truly sets Ms. Fisher apart is her unwavering dedication. She consistently goes above and beyond each day, not because she is asked to, but because she genuinely cares about her students and her work. She pushes her students to reach their full potential while ensuring they feel supported, valued, and understood. She embodies everything a special education teacher should be—patient, passionate, and deeply committed to making a difference.
As she prepares to retire, it is clear that recognizing her as Teacher of the Week would be an easy and well-deserved choice. Ms. Fisher is an extraordinary educator whose impact will be felt for years to come.
Ms. Fisher deserves the world- your 6th grade family will miss you!
Educator: Ethan Dalzell
Role: Teacher at Turkey Foot Middle School
Nominator: Anthony Holt
Why Holt nominated Dalzell:
Mr. Dalzell is an awesome teacher who cares about his students. He makes every student feel like he wants to hear what they have to say.
He also spends extra time helping out by sponsoring Turkey Foot E Wise and working with the Turkey Foot Student Technology Leadership Program. You can tell he actually enjoys what he does and wants students to succeed. He also makes his science class feel interesting, and he does greenhouse architecture which is a very cool class that I really enjoyed when I had it.
Now it’s time to vote
Voting closes at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. Winners will be announced on that evening.
Vote as often as you like! There’s no limit to how many times you can show support for your favorite educator during the week.
Share the voting link with friends, family, students and coworkers—the more people who know about your nominee, the more votes they can earn!
LINK nky encourages friendly competition and community spirit. We want to see entire classrooms, schools and neighborhoods rally behind their favorite educators.