West Fargo Reading Teacher Receives School District’s Highest Award

This is her fourth time being nominated for the award

WEST FARGO, N.D. — West Fargo Public Schools is recognizing a teacher whose passion for books is more than just what is on the pages.

In the Legacy Elementary School library, principal Jason Markusen is leading what seems like an ordinary weekly meeting.

However, as soon as the teachers started dancing and balloons were brought out, they believed something bigger was about to happen.

Then it did, as reading teacher Kristina Lindemann found out she won the West Fargo School District’s Professional/Licensed Staff of the Year Award.

“I’m so shocked because there’s so many heroes in education, nobody comes here for a large paycheck, everybody comes here because they want to do what’s right for kids,” said Lindemann.

She says she couldn’t have won the award without the help of her coworkers.

“It’s wild to think about the talent that’s in this room, because there’s so much talent in every elementary school across the state, across this country, and people work hard every single day for kids, and I’m just one of them,” Lindemann said.

Markusen says it was a huge honor for him to keep this award a secret and reveal it in such a big way.

“I kind of almost feel like a proud papa, a proud father,” said Markusen. “Just to be a part of it, working alongside someone like this at that high of a level, just very proud.”

Speaking of family, Lindemann’s came to the ceremony as well, which she says was more surprising than the award itself.

“The gal I was sitting next to was holding my hand and she said, ‘Turn around,’ and I turned around and I was like ‘Oh! There’s my whole family,'” said Lindemann. “So that was kind of crazy to think about that they’re all here. My family doesn’t live close.”

Lindemann also received a $500 check, which she says she will use to get more books and continue to teach kids what she knows best: reading.

Lindemann was previously nominated for this award three times before winning it this year.