Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Certification
Timeline
2024 Semi-Finalist Missouri State Teacher of the Year
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Dustin T Orton

Warrensburg

Summary

  • In my 12 years at Holden Middle School, I have shown my ability to lead and coach. I have led multiple professional development sessions. I have also served on the Building Leadership Team for the last 6 out of 7 years. During that time I collaborated with fellow members working on plans for how the school will function and go forward.


  • My biggest strength is building student relationships. I have had many instances where students struggle behaviorally in classes, but have no issue in mine. I want to extend this skill to help students and other teachers through BIST.


  • I am currently earning my Educational Specialist in Leadership and will graduate in December 2025.

Overview

12
12
years of professional experience
3
3
Certification

Work History

Teacher

Holden R-III
08.2014 - Current
  • Developed and implemented lesson plans aligned with state standards.
  • Fostered a positive learning environment to enhance student engagement.
  • Utilized technology tools to facilitate interactive learning experiences.
  • Assessed student performance through various evaluation methods.
  • Mentored new teachers in classroom management and teaching techniques.
  • Led professional development workshops to improve teaching practices.
  • Developed strong relationships with students, parents, and colleagues by maintaining open lines of communication and fostering a supportive learning environment.
  • Managed classroom behavior effectively by establishing clear expectations, modeling appropriate conduct, and consistently enforcing established rules and consequences.
  • Differentiated instruction to accommodate diverse learning needs, ensuring each student had an equal opportunity for success.
  • Identified struggling students early on and provided additional support through tutoring sessions and modified lesson plans.
  • Served on school committees focused on curriculum development, teacher evaluations, or community outreach initiatives to contribute positively to the overall school climate.
  • Improved student engagement by incorporating interactive learning technologies into lesson plans.
  • Enhanced literacy skills with targeted reading programs.
  • Led professional development workshops for peers on effective classroom management techniques.

Sales Associate/Kitchen Cook

Casey's General
08.2012 - Current
  • Trained new staff on company policies, sales techniques, and customer engagement strategies.
  • Managed inventory levels, ensuring timely restocking of popular items and reducing stockouts.
  • Implemented promotional displays to increase product visibility and drive sales growth.
  • Organized racks and shelves to maintain store visual appeal, engage customers, and promote specific merchandise.
  • Handled cash transactions efficiently while adhering to company cash handling policies, ensuring accuracy in all financial exchanges.
  • Maintained calm demeanor and professionally managed issues in busy, high-stress situations.

Manager

John Clark
04.2006 - 07.2012
  • Team leadership and staff supervision
  • Hiring, training, and onboarding employees
  • Scheduling and labor cost control
  • Performance coaching and conflict resolution
  • Motivating and retaining staff
  • Guest relations and customer satisfaction
  • Handling complaints and service recovery
  • Creating a positive dining experience
  • Quality control and service standards

Education

Educational Specialist - Educational Leadership And Management

University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO
12-2026

Master of Science in Education - Curriculum And Instruction

University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO
05-2018

Bachelor of Science in Education - Middle School/Junior High Education

University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO
05-2014

Associate of Arts - Middle School Teaching

Three Rivers Community College
Poplar Bluff, MO
05-2012

High School Diploma -

Poplar Bluff High School
Poplar Bluff, MO
05-2008

Skills

  • Critical thinking
  • Relationship building
  • Lesson planning
  • Motivating students
  • Behavior management
  • Student rapport
  • Growth mindset
  • Conflict resolution
  • Classroom instruction
  • Curriculum development
  • Social-emotional learning training

Accomplishments

  • Collaborated and led a Social Studies Cohort for Social Studies teachers in our region. (2024-2025)
  • Completed Teacher Academy through RPDC (2023-2024)
  • Completed Powerful Task Design through RPDC (2024-2025)
  • Curriculum Development
  • Student Council Sponsor (2014-Present)
  • Assistant Science Olympiad Coach (2018-Present)
  • Served on Professional Development Committee (2019-Present)
  • Served on Calendar Committee (2017-Present)
  • Mentor to New Teachers (2018-Present)
  • Building Leadership Team (2019-2022 & 2023-Present)
  • Summer School Teacher (2015-2019 & 2021-Present)


Certification

5-9 English Language Arts

5-9 Social Studies

Timeline

Teacher

Holden R-III
08.2014 - Current

Sales Associate/Kitchen Cook

Casey's General
08.2012 - Current

Manager

John Clark
04.2006 - 07.2012

Educational Specialist - Educational Leadership And Management

University of Central Missouri

Master of Science in Education - Curriculum And Instruction

University of Central Missouri

Bachelor of Science in Education - Middle School/Junior High Education

University of Central Missouri

Associate of Arts - Middle School Teaching

Three Rivers Community College

High School Diploma -

Poplar Bluff High School

2024 Semi-Finalist Missouri State Teacher of the Year

I was nominated for Regional Teacher of the Year in Spring of 2024. I was asked to write three essays answering different prompts. In the Summer of 2024 I was awarded Central Regional Teacher of the year, which allowed me to move on to next level. I constructed three more essays. I was one of 17 educators who was awarded the Semi-Finalist Missouri State Teacher of the year. 

Dustin T Orton