By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
In a touching surprise, sixth-grade teacher Dalton Kraus from Victoria Elementary School was honored as one of Kansas' top educators.
Kraus received the Horizon Award for outstanding first-year teaching in 2023-2024. This award recognized his dedication to student engagement and creating a positive classroom culture.
"I kind of got emotional with all of this," Kraus said. "It lets me know that I'm on the right path."
The USD 432 administration nominated Kraus for his exceptional work, earning him a spot as one of this year's distinguished recipients.
Victoria Elementary Principal Deena Clark and Superintendent Kimberly Woolf surprised Kraus during the morning announcements on Jan. 13. Via Zoom, Randy Watson, commissioner of the Kansas State Department of Education, was also present.
Kraus' parents and his wife, a special education teacher at Victoria Elementary, were also present for the surprise, which Kraus was unaware of.
Kraus said the award has personal and professional significance, calling it a privilege and expressing humility.
"It's an incredible honor. I was very shocked when they announced it... it pushes me to do more," he said.
The Kansas Horizon Award is given to first-year teachers in the state. Only 32 teachers across Kansas are selected yearly from about 5,000 qualifiers. Sixteen elementary and sixteen secondary teachers are chosen.
In his first year, the 2023-2024 academic school year, Kraus said he focused on building a positive classroom environment where students genuinely enjoy learning.
"I feel like [classroom culture] should be a big part of any teacher's classroom, worrying that kids are honest and respectful above anything but also getting them engaged," he said.
Kraus said he strives to keep students engaged by being entertaining and informative, recognizing that no two students are alike.
"Every student is different," he said. "That's one of my favorite parts of the job, which is allowing me to be more creative about how I get content to those 27 kids."
In his first year of teaching, Kraus faced behavior issues from students and felt overwhelmed, but he navigated them with patience and the support of his colleagues.
Kraus received guidance from Victoria Elementary School Interventionist Aide Brenda Dreiling and other staff members, which helped boost his confidence.
"I felt welcome from the first few days I was here," Kraus said. "I think it's the size of the school, but it feels really close-knit."
Kraus studied construction management at Fort Hays State University before focusing on education. During college, he started coaching and discovered his passion for working with students.
This led him to major in technology education, blending his interests in engineering and technology with a focus on teaching.
Before arriving in Victoria, Kraus taught at Hays Middle School under the mentorship of Brad Moritz, an exploratory and industrial tech teacher, where he taught technology-focused elective classes.
"My wife had told me about the job opening. A lot of her family is in Victoria, and she knows the district pretty well," Kraus said.
Kraus became a teacher and the head basketball coach for the junior high boys. His second job allowed him to develop more personal relationships with his students in a relaxed setting even after they left his class.
As he enters his second year of teaching, Kraus advises first-year teachers to ask questions and rely on colleagues for guidance, just as he did.
"There are so many people who are experienced and are such good teachers around here," he said. "It was cool when I got the recognition. Now it's like, 'I gotta back it up now.' That way, I'm not letting some of these people down, especially if they deserve some of that recognition, too."
Kraus and the other recipients are invited to a Kansas Exemplary Educator's Network conference and banquet in February. He plans on bringing his family.