The Waconia Education Association has announced that Amy Dettman, Jaime Ess, and Luke Miller are the 2024 recipients of the Accomplished Waconia Educators Award. The three recipients will now go on to represent Waconia Public Schools in the 2024-25 Minnesota Teacher of Year program next Fall.
Dettman is a special education teacher at Waconia High School who is finishing her 21st year of teaching, with 18 of those years served in Waconia.
“Amy always believes in her students,” one nominator said. “She had a positive impact in the lives of my boys. She always saw the positives and potential in them and helped them to thrive. She is a passionate teacher who cares greatly about her students.”
Ess is a first grade teacher at Bayview Elementary School who is finishing her 25th year of teaching, with 19 of those years served in Waconia.
“Her kindness, consistency, and genuine concern for children’s growth make her a standout teacher. She creates a nurturing environment where every child feels valued and empowered to succeed,” one nominator said. “She is hardworking, smart, kind, inclusive, thoughtful, patient, inspirational, creative, and collaborative,” said another nominator.
Miller is a fourth grade teacher at Southview Elementary School who has taught for 17 years – all in Waconia.
“He makes students feel special, takes time to listen to them, giving them his undivided attention. He recognizes students’ strengths and is quick to remind them of these, and at the same time is supportive in the areas in which students could improve or find a deeper interest in,” one nominator wrote. “Mr Miller builds strong relationships with all his students. They trust him, they respect him, they can be themselves in his classroom, and they can be successful in this classroom,” another nominator said.
A list of past recipients of the Accomplished Waconia Educators Award can be found on the District’s website at isd110.org/about-us/staff-recognition.
