Longtime Wright City educator Sandy Christopher was honored earlier this year as the 2024-2025 Substitute Teacher of the Year for the state of Missouri. Christopher was an educator in the Wright City R-II School District for 32 years, with 13 of those years serving as a first grade teacher and 19 as a kindergarten teacher.
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Longtime Wright City educator Sandy Christopher was honored earlier this year as the 2024-2025 Substitute Teacher of the Year for the state of Missouri. Christopher was an educator in the Wright City R-II School District for 32 years, with 13 of those years serving as a first grade teacher and 19 as a kindergarten teacher.
Christopher originally retired in 2017, but in January 2018 she returned to the Wright City district as a substitute teacher, in part because she missed working with the students.
Christopher said she had previously been named substitute Teacher of the Month in December 2024, but had no idea she was even in the running for teacher of the year.
Christopher said this summer she was contacted by Edustaff LLC District Manager Jamie Reynolds who told her that she had won Substitute of the Year for the state. Edustaff is the company the school district contracts with for substitute teachers.
“I had no idea it would ever lead to an award for state teacher of the year,” Christopher said. “When Jamie called and told me, I was like oh my gosh, not me, there are so many who are more worthy than me.”
Christopher said she just loves working with the kids. She said she enjoys working as a substitute because she can work with students without some of the other responsibilities required of full-time teachers.
Christopher said the thing she loves the most about working with students is the stories they tell and watching them interacting with each other.
“What is really the greatest thing though is when you see that light bulb click on in their head, ‘Oh I finally understand this, I finally know what you are trying to teach me,’ ” she said.
Christopher said one of the things she loved about teaching is seeing students she had return to the school with their own kids. She said she is still seeing this generational change now as she is working as a substitute.
The award was formally presented during a Wright City R-II School Board meeting Aug. 19.
Christopher said winning the award was a humbling experience. She touted the excellence of the teachers she works with each day.
“They (the teachers) put in so much work,” she said. “If I go and I have a great day, and the kids have a great day, I feel like we have accomplished what the teacher wanted us to do. It makes me feel humble, and yet I am just happy that I can be there and do it.”
Christopher also spoke about the differences in teaching today versus when she first started teaching.
“They are expecting a lot out of kids these days,” she said. “There are a lot of differences in what they are expected to understand and be able to do.”
Christopher offered some words of advice for newer teachers. She said she would tell young teachers not to stress so much over everything.
“Sometimes we need to step back a little bit,” she said regarding working with young students.
Christopher also touted the Wright City R-II School District.
“It has been a special school district for me,” she said.
