Anoka teacher wins award

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by Sue Austreng
Staff writer

She’s designed family and consumer sciences (FaCS) departments. She’s published books. She’s written curriculum. She’s mentored young educators. She’s served as president, secretary, representative and passionate participant.

There’s no doubt Deborah Larson loves her job as District 11 FaCS teacher, currently serving at Anoka High School – and she’s good at it, too.

That recently became evident on a national level when Larson was named 2011 Minnesota Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher of the Year.

“There are lots of great people in family and consumer sciences… it’s wonderful to be recognized. It’s such a great honor,” Larson said to assembled FaCS educators, gathered at Anoka High School for workshops during the Jan. 18 staff development day.

Earlier, her colleagues had surprised the reigning teacher of the year with a sparkling tiara and glittering handmade sash and then presented her with a prize package of congratulatory gifts.

“I am just so fortunate to be able to call you ‘friend’ and to have learned from your great example when I first came to (District 11),” said Linda Keller, currently teaching FaCS at Anoka Middle School for the Arts Fred Moore campus.

Anoka High School Principal Michael Farley said during her teaching career Larson has “exhibited deep commitment to her work, and she’s been recognized on the district, state and national level.”

“We’re very proud of the work you’ve done – great job,” Farley said to Larson.

Although Larson has been on the teaching staff at Anoka High School just since the beginning of the current school year, she’s logged nearly two decades in District 11 classrooms.

Fresh out of college and newly married, Larson came to the Anoka-Hennepin School District in 1975, serving for five years as a “floating” teacher and working at Blaine High School, Jackson Middle School, Anoka High School, Northdale Middle School and what was then Fred Moore Middle School.

And then, motherhood bid her stay at home and raise the kids.

As the children grew, she and her husband opened their own business and she threw herself into the world of interior design.

Fifteen years later, Larson returned to the classroom, where she has happily served ever since as educator, pioneer, mentor and friend.

Larson taught at what was then Fred Moore Middle School, then at Anoka High School before being hired as FaCS department chairwoman for the newly-opened Andover High School in the fall of 2002.

She served in that capacity, designing the department and getting things off the ground and running before returning to Anoka High at the start of the current school year.

Asked to imagine retirement, Larson said she has no plans to abandon her passions for FaCS.

“There is such a need in the areas of child development, food and nutrition and financial literacy – the areas we cover in family and consumer sciences – more kids need those FaCS. It’s such an important part of their education,” Larson said.

Larson also cites the country’s current economic crisis, childhood obesity issues and rampant bankruptcy filings as red flags for FaCS education.

As for financial literacy, Larson believes that area is so important that she wrote a textbook, detailing strategies for implementing and developing math concepts in the district’s FaCS program.

That book, “Math in the FaCS Classroom,” has been published by Learning Zone Express publications and has been nationally distributed to FaCS educators across the country.

“She really has gone above and beyond the call of duty – and we’re not the only ones who think so,” said Renee Strand, Anoka High School FaCS teacher.

During her FaCS teaching career, Larson has served as an active member of American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, the Minnesota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.

She has served three years on the public policy committee, acted as secretary of Family and Consumer Sciences Educators (FACSEd), was elected president of FACSEd and served as representative to the Minnesota Association for Career and Technical Education (MnACTE) Board for Family and Consumer Sciences.

Not only that, for the past three years, Larson has worked on implementing her “Math in the FaCS” curriculum in District 11’s FaCS classrooms.

The reigning teacher of the year received her degree in family and consumer sciences education after completing her studies at the University of Minnesota.

Shortly after graduating from the U of M, Larson earned her master’s degree in education from St. Mary’s University.

Larson will formally and officially receive her 2011 Minnesota Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher of the Year award during the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences convention in April.

“I just feel really humbled by this,” Larson said. “There are so many people who do so much in this district … This is just something I love to do.”

Sue Austreng is at sue.austreng@ecm-inc.com