District 191 employees recognized for excellence

Fifteen Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 staff members are being recognized for their extraordinary contributions to the One91 community with 2025 Community of Excellence (COE) Awards. 

“These awards and these award winners highlight how many different ways District 191 staff members contribute to our community, exemplify excellence and most importantly, have positive impacts on our students and families,” Superintendent Dr. Theresa Battle said. “I’m so grateful that they share their talents, skills and dedication with the One91 community.”

Students, parents, community members and staff members were invited to nominate employees for the awards, which were first awarded in 2016. A selection committee that included past recipients reviewed nominations and made selections. The award ceremony to honor COE recipients will begin at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, in the Mraz Center at Burnsville High School.

The 2025 One91 COE Award Recipients are:

Collaboration and Partnership

• Kim Wood, elementary music specialist
• Student Systems Leadership Specialist team of Kari Komar, Niaka Dunbar, Megan Gauer-Kloos and Rebecca Beseman

Excellence in Educational Support

• LeVar Queen, educational assistant
• Ruth Brown, educational assistant
• Ben Mauser, custodian
• Barb Cenci, clerical
• Staci Ho-Buttleman, clerical

Teaching Excellence

• Molly Moran, language arts teacher
• Jean Elfering, social studies teacher

Innovation

• Lisa Lake, communications specialist

Leadership in Action

• Angie Pohl, principal

Spirit of Excellence

• Dave Lake, director of Operations, Properties and Transportation

Nearly 50 nominations were received for this year’s awards, demonstrating the depth and variety of ways that District 191 staff members support students, families and each other. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated. 

Along with the award winners listed above, this year’s nominees were: Jeanne Kibler, Tammy Freeman and Megann Johnson, Joe Kinsella, Burnsville High School concurrent enrollment teachers, Jaimee Fofana, Elizabeth Eiler, Tracy Smith, Drew Wolke, Derek Nash, Lukah Evans, Axmad Kaahiye, Muna Yasin, Jennifer Hall, Lisa Carlson, Jim Condon, Haley Warren and Amy Tucci, Asha Karlapudi, Kim Steeg, early childhood speech and language pathologist team, Jason Sellars and Jeanine Riggs. 

Read more about the Community of Excellence Awards online at www.isd191.org/COEAwards.