The Auburn School District Board of Directors recognizes Sandra Luettgen, Janet Tarsi and Jill Woodruff as its Teachers of the Year at 7 p.m. Monday, May 13 at the James P. Fugate Administration Building, 915 Fourth St. NE.

Luettgen is the Middle School Teacher of the Year. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Puget Sound and her master’s in teaching at City University. She has spent her entire 29-year education career in the Auburn School District, the last 24 years at Cascade Middle School, where she teaches English/language arts and is an instructional specialist.

In addition to teaching, she supports students by attending numerous after-school activities, and for 24 years has been an instructional director for the ASD’s Fifth Grade Camp Auburn.

“Camp is amazing,” Luettgen said. “It gives kids who have never had the chance to be outdoors or experience nature the opportunity to have a real sense of belonging and to experience the outdoors.”

The High School Teacher of the Year is Tarsi, the Auburn High School DECA and marketing teacher.

A graduate of Central Washington University, Tarsi taught at Auburn High for four years before taking a hiatus to stay home with her children. She enthusiastically returned to Auburn High in 2015 and resumed teaching the marketing program she is passionate about.

She goes the extra mile to make all students feel welcome, and in doing so, she is able to set high expectations for her students who respond by doing amazing things.

“I love the connections with kids. I love learning their stories,” Tarsi said.

Woodruff is the Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is in her eighth year of teaching kindergarten students at Alpac Elementary. She earned her bachelor’s from Pacific Lutheran University, a master’s in curriculum and instruction and an English Language Learner endorsement from the University of Washington, Tacoma.

“I chose to become an educator because I wanted to be a role model for young Latino students,” Woodruff said. “I love the students and the families.”

All three ASD Teachers of the Year move on for consideration for the Puget Sound ESD Teacher of the Year.