51șÚÁÏ

With the 2024-25 school year approaching its end, teachers across the country say goodbye to their students and classes. Once again, educators have proven to be influential changemakers the next generation needs to prepare for the real world. It has never been more important to honor the hard work of the region’s teachers and their innovative approaches to enriching students’ minds whether through hands-on art projects or coaching methods used to inspire students on and off the court.

The 51șÚÁÏ’s Teacher of the Month program concludes with the reader’s choice winner. Out of hundreds of nominations, third-grade teacher Christine Kutchback from Immaculate Conception of Dardenne Catholic School received the most votes from readers.

TWO DECADES OF CHANGING LIVES

Christine Kutchback has been teaching for 22 years with the last 19 being at Immaculate Conception of Dardenne Catholic School.

“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach everything from kindergarten to middle school math and I’ve truly loved every age group. Teaching across various grade levels has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of where my students are coming from, and more importantly, where they are going,” Kutchback said.

She says learning where her students are headed is essential to her teaching methods so she can tailor lessons to fit each student’s learning abilities.

“Each grade brings its own unique joys and challenges, and I feel fortunate to have experienced such a wide range of learners,” she said.

Kutchback’s teaching career initially began in Houston, Texas as a public school teacher, but she quickly found a passion teaching Catholic education at her parish. When she moved to St. Charles, Mo., she returned to Catholic education at Immaculate Conception of Dardenne, where she has been teaching ever since.

CREATING A FAMILY CONNECTION IN THE CLASSROOM

One of Kutchback’s favorite things about her students is the bond they create over the school year.

“Over the course of the year, we become more than just a group of students and a teacher. We grow into a classroom family. We share laughs, overcome challenges and support each other through both the good and bad days,” she said.

Being a part of students’ spiritual journey is another one of Kutchback’s biggest joys teaching in a Catholic school.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to watch each child grow not just academically, but emotionally, socially and especially in their faith. My number one goal is to bring my students closer to God and teach them to love and respect one another. As a Catholic educator, this is at the heart of everything I do. I also want them to develop a lifelong love of learning — where they embrace curiosity and the joy of discovering new things,” Kutchback said.

MEMORABLE LESSONS FOR YEARS TO COME

Kutchback has a knack for developing intriguing lessons and activities for her students whether it’s a "Boxcar Children" diorama or a mock Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“I love taking a simple learning objective and turning it into a hands-on project that sparks students' creativity and excitement. Whether it’s transforming the classroom into a donut shop, having them work outside with clipboards or bringing a story to life with a diorama or parade, I try to make lessons interactive and fun,” she said.

She believes interactive learning and evolving lessons helps keep students engaged and eager to learn what comes next.

Math is another subject Kutchback enjoys teaching her students. Not only does she teach the subject, but she also teaches students to overcome challenges they may face with the curriculum.

“Teaching them perseverance and a growth mindset and then seeing those ‘light bulb’ moments when it finally clicks is just incredibly rewarding. Helping students discover that they can do hard things is one of the best parts of being a teacher,” she said.

Kutchback received a $250 gift card courtesy ofÌęÌęfor being selected as the reader’s choice nominee of the Teacher of the Month program. To read all the stories in the 2024-25 Teacher of the Month program, visitÌę.

Content produced by the 51șÚÁÏ Marketing Department. Responses may have been edited for length or clarity. The news and editorial departments of the 51șÚÁÏ had no role in its creation or display. For more information, contactÌęmarketing@post-dispatch.com.

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