Ferguson-Florissant Teacher Of The Year RaShawn Johnson | Community Spirit

RaShawn Johnson, a reading teacher at Berkeley Middle School, is the Ferguson-Florissant School District’s Teacher of the Year.

A small cadre of administrators gathered together on March 6th to make the announcement and the teacher’s day.

Johnson has taught in the district six years, but has 13 years of experience as an educator. She has also taught in the Normandy School District.

Her love for children and education started at home. “My family has a legacy of educators on my father’s side, so it was fitting that I would follow in their footsteps,” she said.

Johnson is notorious for wearing costumes and creating murals, posters and games to engage her students.

She also believes in practicing what she preaches. For example, when she challenged her students to enter the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contest sponsored by North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice in January – she entered the competition herself – and won in the adult category.

Others have recognized Johnson’s excellence in the classroom as well. “The St. Louis American” newspaper saluted her as one of its 2008 Excellence in Education Awardees.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Fontbonne University and master’s degree in education curriculum and instruction at National Louis University. She also holds an Ed.S in administrative leadership from Walden University.