District Teacher of the Year Earns Regional Honor
July 1, 2021
Lindbergh High School science teacher and Lindbergh Schools 2021 Teacher of the Year Dan Dougherty has been named one of 10 Missouri Regional Teachers of the Year for the St. Louis area. This honor qualifies Dougherty to apply for the 2021 Missouri State Teacher of the Year award, which will be announced in August.
Dougherty began his teaching career at LHS in 2014 and currently teaches AP/IB Chemistry 1 and Honors Physical Science. His instruction and rapport with his students exemplify his ability to build positive relationships for a great learning experience. When the pandemic began, he created an excellent learning environment for his students and assisted other teachers as a Canvas trainer, or “Canvassador.” This helped improve access and instruction for hundreds of students and teachers. In 2019, Dougherty was selected as one of five finalists for the prestigious Carol B. and Jerome T. Loeb Prize for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics, an award given in partnership with the Saint Louis Science Center.
He regularly uses a variety of instructional technology applications to engage students in learning, provides opportunities for extra practice and creates project-based learning assessments in which students implement content knowledge to design original prototypes. Dougherty has also served as an academic networking director, Science Olympiad sponsor, and assists with Environmental Club float trips and fundraising events.
“Mr. Dougherty is the definition of a teacher who continuously grows in his practice,” said LHS Principal Dr. Eric Cochran. “He takes a challenging subject like chemistry and makes it engaging and fun to help each student understand the material. I have never seen a teacher as beloved by his students due to his rare combination of content expertise, teaching skills and personal relatability. He is truly admired and respected by every staff member at Lindbergh High School.”
Dougherty’s colleagues share that his positive attitude and cheerful personality create a degree of comfort for everyone. He inspires them to be better educators and better people in order to improve the quality of life for students.
Dougherty is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of Missouri - St. Louis, and he earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry Education at Missouri State University. As Lindbergh’s Teacher of the Year, Dougherty will now be in the running for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Regional Teacher of the Year award.