Jan Mataruso

I see myself as a dynamic educator with a proven track record at Geary County Schools, recognized for exceptional performance by being asked to train Early Childhood and Kindergarten teachers through various Professional Development seminars and awarded the Shining Star Award and Teacher of the Year nominee. I feel I am highly skilled in fostering positive relationships with my students, families, and colleagues. I also am extremely well-versed in differentiated instruction and effectively implementing technology in the classroom, enhancing student engagement and achievement. I am passionate about mentoring new teachers and promoting collaborative learning environments.

My experience within early childhood education has created a passion for specializing in fostering social emotional and cognitive development in our youngest learners. I feel I utilize curriculum, planning and classroom management to create engaging lessons for all of my students in a highly structured learning environment. I hope that my knowledge of developmental appropriate practices and milestones, social-emotional education, and effective teaching strategies for young children will be considered along with my solid background in Early Childhood when thinking about the needs of the Early Childhood Instructional Coaching position. I feel I am adept in creating engaging learning environments and fostering social and cognitive development in young children as well as Early childhood educators. I have demonstrated skills in curriculum planning and classroom management throughout the entirety of my career.

• *Unified School District 475 Shining Star Award, June, 2019: Awarded to recognize staff members who consistently demonstrate exceptional performance, going above and beyond their typical duties, signifying outstanding achievement and positive contributions to the profession, essentially highlighting them as "shining stars" within the school district.
• *Geary County Schools Foundation Grant, April, 2017: $500.00 grant used toward the purchase of 4 Magna-Tile, 3 Dimensional building sets for the Kindergarten team to utilize to increase students' learning experiences in the area of STEM.
• *Unified School District 475 Teacher of the Year Elementary Nominee, 2014: I was selected to represent USD 475 as their nominee for Elementary Teacher of the year. I was nominated by my school principal Rebecca Coy and selected by a committee of past KTOY nominees and present district administrators based on several essays I wrote in regard to being an educator as well as an employee of USD 475. I went on to represent the district at the regional level as their Elementary Nominee in 2014.
• * Historical and Archaeological Society of Fort Riley (HASFR) Grant, $1000.00: I was awarded this grant to facilitate Fort Riley Elementary School's Kansas Day activities for the 2011 school year. The funds supplied all students grades Kindergarten through Fifth (approximately 400 students) with bus transportation and admittance fee to the Eisenhower Historical Museum, Abilene, Kansas; as well as paying for activity supplies for students to utilize at 15 different Kansas Day stations at the school itself, The 15 stations included presentations about Kansas weather; pioneer life on the Plains; the importance of bison in Kansas history; a day in the life of pioneer children; the importance of Fort Riley and the 1st Infantry Division in the history of Kansas; as well as the importance of wheat in the history of Kansas; as well as other Kansas based stations.
• * Unified School District Instructional Technology Grant, Addendum, $10, 000.00, June 2004: I co-authored an addendum to an original Instructional Technology Grant that was awarded to Enterprise Elementary in 2003. The funds from this addendum were used toward purchasing 8 wireless laptop computers, 2 mobile Smartboard, and LCD projectors to be utilized by Pre-Kindergarten through Fifth grade students to further their knowledge and experience with technology.
• *Unified School District 259 Instructional Technology Grant, $35,000.00, June 2003: I co-authored and co-coordinated the successful acquisition of the USD 259 Instructional Technology Grant for $35,000.00. The award was utilized to purchase 16 wireless laptop computers, a mobile computer lab, a mobile Smartboard, a digital camera, a LCD projector, and a laser printer for Enterprise Elementary School. This grant was written to enable Pre-Kindergarten through Fifth grade students to participate in the Heritage Feast Project. The students worked together to research their heritage while integrating community involvement from the surrounding Wichita area. The purchase of these forms of technology lent to the success of the Heritage Feast project and benefited all classrooms by making technology available to all students.

I have been a part of the Junction City/Fort Riley community since 1976.  I moved to Fort Riley in the  2nd grade and attended Lincoln Elementary.  I attended Fort Riley Junior High School and graduated from Junction City High School in 1986.  My husband and I relocated to Wichita, Kansas, but still maintained our sense of community in Junction City by traveling back almost each weekend for 15 years to visit family and friends and care for our elderly parents.   We relocated to Junction City in 2008, and our 2 children were lucky enough to attend Fort Riley Elementary School, Junction City Middle School and Junction City High School and graduating from there as well.  I will also have a grandchild attending Geary County schools starting next year. I am highly invested in our community through my involvement with our schools' afterschool program, teaching religious education pre-school evening program and vacation bible schools at St. Xavier Catholic Church and Highland Baptist Church for several years, attending church and being involved in community activities and programs within the community.  I feel that my expertise and knowledge about early childhood education, teaching, and our surrounding communities will help me to contribute guidance and vision to the Early Childhood program and it's staff in the years to come.