A physical education teacher at Fort Riley Middle School, Joan Hayden, has been named a member of the 2017 class of Kansas Master Teachers.

The six other members of the class include

–John Butcher, art teacher at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park

–Melinda Eitel, Kindergarten teacher at Grace E. Stewart Elementary School in Overland Park

–Jennifer Hendrix, physics teacher at Dodge City High School

–Kimberly Hett, fifth-grade teacher for Andover Academy

–Brandy Lane, sixth-grade teacher at Pauline South Intermediate School in Topeka

–Laura Schwinn, audio / video communications teacher at Emporia High School.

Thanks to the Bank of America, the recipients receive a $1,000 professional development stipend as part of the award.

The recipients were selected by a committee including representatives from the Kansas Association Elementary School Principals, Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals, Kansas Parent Teacher Association, Kansas National Education Association, Kansas National Education Association – Student Program, Kansas State Board of Education, and the 2016 Kansas Master Teacher class.

The 2017 Master teachers will be honored on Master Teacher day April 5 at Emporia State University. On that day, the teachers will present a seminar at 2:30 p.m. in the W.S. and E. C. Jones Conference Center in Visser Hall. The teachers will then be honored during a social hour at 5:45 p.m. in Webb Hall Lobby of Emporia State’s Memorial Union followed by the dinner and awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. in Webb Hall.

Tickets for the dinner are $17, and reservations are required by Wednesday, March 29. For more information, see www.emporia.edu/teach/master/reservationform.html.

Emporia State established the Kansas Master Teacher Awards in 1954. The awards are presented annually to teachers who have served the profession long and well, and who also typify the outstanding qualities of earnest and conscientious teachers.