Ms. McClellen, one of our math teachers here at TJ, was named the 2021 Cox Communications/Nebraska Furniture Mart Education Hero. Ms. McClellen was one of only 50 educators to receive this award in the metro area!

McClellen has taught for the Council Bluffs School District for the past 17 years and has also taught at Children’s Square, Uta Halee Girls Village, and Elm Creek Public Schools.

“I’m a really humble person, and there’s so many great staff in the metro area. It’s an award not just for Council Bluffs, but it’s Omaha, Council Bluffs, Gretna, it’s the whole metro area,” said McClellen. “Just the fact that I was chosen, just me and 50 others, when you think of how many teachers and paras that are out there, it’s pretty cool,” Added McClellen.

In the past, McClellen has earned the teacher of the year award here at TJ and at Wilson Middle school and has earned teacher of the month a few times as well.

“I think it’s great that TJ is getting recognized, everyone’s been emailing me telling me hey great job,” said McClellen. “You know, it’s a village, it’s not just me,” said McClellen.

McClellen explained that she isn’t sure how she got nominated. “I got an email about four weeks ago saying congratulations you’ve been nominated for the education hero and I kind of brushed it off a little bit, and then two weeks ago I got an email saying congratulations, you’re one of fifty that one this,” said McClellen.

“As tough as a year it’s been, it just feels good to end with something very positive because there hasn’t been a lot of positives this year,” said McClellen.