By Matt Hoover
USD 475 Communications Coordinator
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. – Geary USD 475 and the Junction City Education Association have announced that Fort Riley Elementary fifth grade teacher Emily Chandler and Junction City Middle School ELA and Special Education teacher Elizabeth Spaulding have been named the district’s nominees for the Kansas Master Teacher Award.
Chandler was named the USD 475 Elementary Master Teacher Award nominee, while Spaulding claimed the Secondary Master Teacher Award nomination. By being named USD 475’s Master Teacher Award winners, Chandler and Spaulding both received a $500 check on Monday from Exchange Bank of Junction City. The duo will also be recognized at an upcoming Board of Education meeting
To be selected, the Master Teacher must be a member of Junction City Education Association and chosen by a committee comprised of previous district Master Teachers who still teach or taught in USD 475.Overall, USD 475 has had 11 individuals selected as a Kansas Master Teacher by Emporia State University in its history. Since 2022, the district has had three USD 475 teachers’ claim the prestigious honor as Bryan Scruggs (2022), Melissa Hall (2023) and Jennifer Fallin (2024) were all named a member of the Kansas Master Teachers.
Emporia State University established the Kansas Master Teacher awards in 1954. The awards are presented annually to selected teachers who demonstrate the attributes of exemplary professional educators. Chandler, who is in her third year of teaching in USD 475 and is a Texas native, brings a wealth of passion, fun and expertise to the classroom as she not only teaches fifth grade English Language Arts and Social Studies at Fort Riley Elementary, but also recently created a journalism club at the school. Prior to her time in USD 475, Chandler, who is also the fourth and fifth grade team lead at FRE, taught at multiple schools in Arizona and Texas.
“I am so excited for what this means for our students, school and for myself. This is a wonderful recognition of the hard work we put in every day, and it truly is something to celebrate,” said Sowell. “I hope this shows my students that hard work, perseverance and consistent effort, the things we talk about every day, really do pay off.”
Spaulding, a Junction City native and 2011 Blue Jay graduate, has been a part of USD 475 for nine years. She spends her days in the classroom not only making a difference but also challenging her seventh grade English Language Art students by helping them grow daily. During her tenure, Spaulding, who has spent time at both JCMS and Junction City High School, has served in multiple roles, including being a National Honor Society and student council sponsor, as well as Special Education Case Manager, Gifted Teacher and ELA teacher at JCHS.
“I am truly in shock that I was named the secondary winner. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, so this recognition feels like a validation of the hopes and dreams that brought me to where I am today. I care deeply about my students and am constantly looking for new ways to engage them in our lessons, so this is an incredible honor,” said Spaulding.
The Kansas Master Teacher Award nomination portal opened Oct. 1, 2025. Nominations will close at 5 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2026. Through the support of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, each Master Teacher chosen will be presented with a check for $1,000 and will be highlighted at Emporia State's Master Teacher Day on Wednesday, April 1.
The seven state-wide recipients will be selected by a nine-member committee including representatives from the Kansas Association of Principals, Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas State Board of Education, Kansas Parent Teacher Organization, Kansas National Education Association, United School Administrators, ESU’s Kappa Delta Pi student organization and representatives of past Kansas Master Teacher classes.
Previous USD 475 Master Teacher Honorees
--1961 - Jane E. Roether (Junction City)
--1988 - Bonnie Weingart (Fort Riley)
--1989 - Ada Ligia R. Paquette (Junction City)
--1992 - Beth Bergsten (Junction City)
--2007 - Angela Miller (Junction City)
--2012 - Jodi Testa (Junction City)
--2016 - Carol Settgast (Geary County)
--2017 - Joan Hayden (Geary County)
--2022 - Bryan Scruggs (Geary County)
--2023 - Melissa Hall (Geary County)
--2024 - Jennifer Fallin (Geary County)