Parkland Elementary's Teacher of the Year
Mrs. Kasi Westfahl
2011-2012

     Kasi Westfahl is Parkland Elementary’s Teacher of the Year for 2011-2012.  She has taught Prekindergarten at Parkland for nine years.  She graduated from Arapaho High School and Oklahoma State University.

     Kasi says that her philosophy of teaching is quite simply that play is the work of childhood.  She believes a child should be surrounded in an environment that is non-threatening and inviting.  Throughout that environment, a child will seek out what it is that he or she needs.  Play is used by young children to strengthen every kind of learning with which they will come into contact.  Their ideas are put into motion.  They discover how to get along with their peers.  Play allows children to experiment and try out things.  Play provides opportunities for children to practice the knowledge they have gained and do so in an acceptable way.  It fosters imagination and encourages the generation of creative ideas.

     Kasi is married to Erick Westfahl and they have a son, Collin.  They are expecting a new baby in October 2012.