December 2023 Educator of the Month

Superintendent, Ms. Tammy Chavis, is pleased to announce that Mrs. Chelsea Stenger, 4th grade teacher at Mount Carmel Elementary, has been selected as December’s “Educator of the Month.”

Mrs. Stenger has been with Franklin County Community Schools for 18 years. Chelsea attended Franklin College and received a B.A. in Elementary Education. She went on to continue her education at Indiana Wesleyan University and received a Masters of Education. She also completed 12 hours in Digital Instruction for IU East.

Mrs. Stenger was nominated for this honor by a parent of a Mount Carmel Elementary School student. When asked why Chelsea should be considered for this recognition, they responded, “Mrs. Stenger goes over and above for ALL students in her classroom, daily. She is resourceful and creative in the ways she ensures her students have equal access to content, materials and opportunities in her classroom. Mrs. Stenger is not afraid to try new things and works tirelessly to meet the variety of needs of her students. She is creative in her teaching presentation, has high expectations for her students, and they work hard for her in return.”

When asked what makes Chelsea stand out from her colleagues, they responded, “The hours that Mrs. Stenger puts into her “job”, whether it’s creating content and materials, coaching the robotics teams, supporting athletics at MCS as well as her sons’ teams is admirable. (And exhausting to watch, from the sidelines.) She never stops striving to grow herself. She is a great role model for her students as well as newer educators.”

In addition to educating children, Chelsea is the Co-Athletic Director, Robotics Coach, an active member of Brookville Road Baptist Church, and (with her husband) leads the 4-H Dairy Cattle project. In her free time, when she has any, she enjoys reading, hiking, baking, crafting, and hanging out with her sons and husband. Chelsea was previously awarded Teacher of the Month in April 2015

When asked what she loves most about her job, Mrs. Stenger responded, “The best part of my job (and the most challenging) is inspiring students to want to learn and love it. When I can make learning fun and engaging, I get to see the true student and the eagerness to learn inspires me. Another amazing part of my job is all the support I get from co-workers, administration, and family members who spend endless hours helping me to be successful; painting murals, cutting things out, putting up bulletin boards, cleaning up after ball games, and so much more.”

The purpose of the “Educator of the Month” program is to recognize outstanding
Franklin County educators who demonstrate excellence in the classroom, leadership in
the school, dedication to the students, and involvement in the community. Nomination
forms for “Educator of the Month” can be found on the school corporation website at www.fccsc.k12.in.us.