Michigan’s teacher of the year on schools reopening, student safety

Oak Park School District teacher Owen Bondono has been named the 2020-2021 Michigan Teacher of the Year (MTOY).

The Michigan Department of Education said Friday Bondono learned he was named Teacher of the Year during a virtual conference call meeting with all Regional Teachers of the Year.

He said he can’t wait to get back in the classroom to be with his students, but if the decision were up to him, he wouldn’t see them anytime soon.

He said it’s a challenge to keep his students motivated and engaged during the pandemic.

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“I have been trying to give them tools and resources on how you move through a time like this in life,” Bondono said.

Bondono said he misses the one-on-one interaction, the jokes and other moments you can only get in a classroom, but not if that means sacrificing his students’ safety.

You can watch the full story in the video above.