Secondary Teacher of the Year
Kirby Kenny has been teaching Spanish to 9th-12th grade students for eight years , the last four being at Paola High School. While at PHS, Mrs. Kenny has increased the PHS Spanish program to offer three levels of Spanish for students wanting to build on their second language skills. Mrs. Kenny enjoys teaching about Hispanic culture and the differences around the world. Mrs. Kenny also helps organize and chaperone educational trips for students abroad. One of her favorite things about these experiences is to observe students be curious and interact firsthand with the people in each country. In addition to teaching and traveling, Mrs. Kenny is the Head Volleyball Coach at the High School. Mrs. Kenny feels that positive relationships with students and athletes is incredibly important and necessary for students to be successful in the classroom and beyond.