ARCANUM – Arcanum-Butler Local Schools is pleased to announce Kathy Kuhbander as this year’s Teacher of the Year.

Mrs. Kuhbander has been teaching at Arcanum-Butler Local Schools for six years and has taught for a total of 13 years. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Clearwater Christian College in Clearwater, Fla. She currently teaches nine grade English and Yearbook. She is the advisor for the Academic Team and facilitates the Chess Club. She also co-advises Student Council.

Kuhbander lives in Arcanum with her husband Dan and two children, Devin, an Arcanum High School graduate, and Lily, a junior at Arcanum. She enjoys working in the children and music ministries at her church, reading, gardening, and spending time with her family and friends.

When asked about what she enjoys most about teaching, Kuhbander said, “I love investing in the lives of young people. I try to assure my students that I am in their corner, cheering them on in this difficult time that we live in. Academically, I enjoy teaching the writing process as well as helping them make the connections between literature and real life.”

Some of her favorite authors to teach are Shakespeare, CS Lewis, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allan Poe.

When asked where her passion for English education began, she answered, “My mother would take us to the library as children and tell us to find enough books to keep us busy during those long summer days. The other most impactful person in my life would have been my high school English teacher, Mrs. Kistler. She ignited my passion for delving into the meaning of written of words.”

Upon being named the Teacher of the Year, Kuhbander shared,”I am honored to be chosen as the 2023 Teacher of the Year and look forward to many more years of teaching.”