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2023-2024: Melissa Rapp, Caesar Rodney HS

Melissa Rapp

Melissa Rapp, an AP World History and AP European History teacher at Caesar Rodney High School is the 2023-2024 Caesar Rodney School District Teacher of the Year.  The upcoming school year will be her 20th year of teaching, and she is the only teacher in district history to be honored as the Teacher of the Year twice.  Having also been recognized as the 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year.

Melissa embodies the qualities that all great teachers aspire to be: enthusiastic, compassionate, and a tremendous role model for public education.  She is recognized across the district as “Mrs. Caesar Rodney”, and is the teacher that principals hope to have at their school.  She serves as the advisor for the CRHS Student Council and is in charge of organizing the Homecoming Parade, half-time activities at the football game, and all the High School pep rallies and spirit weeks. 

Choosing the district’s teacher of the year is a multi-step process. First, students, teachers, parents and administrators at each school building make recommendations. Then, building teachers vote for the top candidates. Those nominees develop portfolios that are then reviewed and scored by a committee of parents, teachers and students from each school. From that process, one teacher in each building emerges as a candidate.

Each candidate makes a more in-depth portfolio, including educational history and professional development, awards and recognition, philosophy of teaching, community service and letters of support. Administrators, school board members, teachers, parents and students then independently read and score them.

Teams consisting of the district superintendent, principals, teachers and parents then conduct classroom observations and interviews with the finalists. Each team member awards an overall score for each candidate. After a discussion and review of all scores, the district’s teacher of the year is selected.