Joanna Van Raden Receives Civic Club’s 2016 Excellence in Education Award

Kevin Mowrer presents the 2016 Excellence in Education Award to recently retired Klager teacher Joanna Van Raden. Photo courtesy of Manchester Civic Club.

Earlier this month, Joanna Van Raden was awarded the Manchester Civic Club’s 2016 Excellence in Education Award. Ms. Van Raden taught in the Manchester Community Schools for 32 years. She taught general education, special education, elementary, middle school, and high school. She was a member of the district’s School Improvement Team and Curriculum, Instruction, and Achievement groups. She also served as a facilitator for the integration of technology and improvement of instruction in the district.

Ms. Van Raden holds degrees and certificates from Eastern Michigan University, Marygrove College, and Michigan State University.  In 2015, She won the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning Pre K-12 Teacher of the Year Award. Since retiring at the end of the 2014-2015 school year, she currently serves as a consultant for Write Steps and Edmodo.

Ms. Van Raden, along with her husband Mike, was recognized by the Civic Club for all of her work with Manchester students and the Manchester Community. She was presented the award by Civic Club member Kevin Mowrer who was the award winner last year in his role as Manchester High School principal.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.