Sun Prairie teacher finalist for National Teacher of the Year award

4 finalists named for national award

Kyle Geissler by Kyle Geissler

Chris Gleason

A Sun Prairie music teacher and band director is one of four finalist for the National Teacher of the Year award.

Chris Gleason, who teaches at Patrick Marsh Middle School, has been a teacher for 19 years.

“My teaching isn’t about playing notes or learning a new skill on an instrument; rather, it is about looking at life through the lens of another human or artist and considering a new thought or different point of view,” Gleason said.

Gleason’s bands have performed at the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Wisconsin State Capitol Rotunda, the New Wisconsin Promise Conference and the 2006 and 2009 Wisconsin state music conferences. He is a frequent state and national conference presenter and leader of professional development. His honors include being named the 2016-17 Wisconsin Middle School Teacher of the Year and, most recently, being recognized as a national semifinalist for the 2017 Grammy Music Educator Award.

Gleason earned his bachelor’s degree in music education at UW-Eau Claire in 1997 and his master’s degree in professional development from UW-LaCrosse in 2002.

There are three other finalists for the national award. One will be named the 2017 National Teacher of the Year later this spring, and will spend the next year traveling the country to represent educators and be an advocate for teachers and students.

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