Westonka Names 2025-26 Building Teachers of the Year

Superintendent Kevin Borg and Westonka Education Minnesota (WEM) representative Jack Boland surprised four Westonka Public Schools educators Thursday with their respective school’s top teaching award. 

Congratulations to Westonka’s 2025-26 building Teachers of the Year: Janessa Cetin from Hilltop Primary School, Debbie Loomis from Shirley Hills Primary School, Ashley Schroeder from Westonka Middle School and Lisa Bonk from Westonka High School.

WEM received hundreds of Teacher of the Year nominations this fall from students, parents, staff and community members. Teachers in each building had the difficult task of selecting one teacher to represent their school as Teacher of the Year. Criteria for the annual award includes impact on student learning, both in and out of the classroom; contributions to and improvement of the school community; and years of service in the profession, district and/or building.

Cetin, Loomis, Schroeder and Bonk will have the opportunity to represent the district in the Westonka Teacher of the Year and Minnesota Teacher of the Year competitions. Both of these honors will be announced in May 2026.

*Please note: To uphold the spirit of the award and help ensure broad recognition, WEM has decided to pause the Early Learning Teacher of the Year award for this cycle. We are grateful for the dedication of our early learning teachers and look forward to celebrating their outstanding contributions in the years ahead.

Read an excerpt from each candidate's nominations below.

Janessa [Cetin] is the heart of teaching. She is always learning, adapting, and finding creative ways to support her students. She never takes the easy route if the harder one is what’s best for kids. With kindness, empathy, and a heart that seems to grow for every student, she makes each child feel valued and loved. Her students adore her right back, proof that she’s not just teaching—she’s changing lives every single day.

Debbie [Loomis] has dedicated countless years of her life to teaching, but more importantly, she has dedicated her heart and soul to every student who walks into her classroom. Her passion for education goes far beyond delivering lessons — she inspires, encourages, and uplifts every child, meeting them where they are and helping them grow into the best version of themselves. Debbie’s commitment is unmatched. Whether she is guiding second graders through their earliest steps in reading and writing or leading older students on transformational experiences like the Wolf Ridge trip, she gives every project her full energy and devotion. 

Mrs. Schroeder masterfully teaches that mistakes are a vital part of the learning process, emphasizing practice and improvement over perfection. This philosophy has led to her students achieving some of the best math results in the state year after year. Outside of the classroom, she continues with the message and encourages her players on the court to have grit and determination to improve.

Dear, Ms. Bonk, I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks for your incredible support. Your hard work and dedication made a significant difference, and you helped me navigate challenges along the way. Thank you once again for your unwavering support!