The Educational Support Professional of the Year award was started in 2012 in recognition of member advocacy, involvement in the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers, exceptional work with students, family and community and the enhancement of the educational support professionals in Saint Paul Public Schools.
This year, Kurt Blomberg, the Restorative Practice Coordinator at Johnson High School was presented with this award. Kurt is being honored for his work with both students and staff, implementing restorative practices both at Johnson and across the district. Congratulations!
The Mary McGough Award is the SPFT’s highest honor, awarded each year in recognition of a community member, leader or SPFT member who has contributed to the betterment of our union and our schools. In honor of Mary McGough and her many years of service, here is a listing of our past recipients:
In 2017, Governor Mark Dayton was presented with this award for his strong defense of public schools. The governor has been a longtime champion of public education and SPFT in particular. In 2013, he headlined our contract campaign kick-off. More recently, he stood up to the legislature, veto-ing a teacher licensure bill which would have lowered the standards for educators in Minnesota and standing up against vouchers. Thank you, Governor!