With Kara Brueggen, it’s not just about numbers and letters.

The Gilmour Elementary School kindergarten teacher wants to send her students to first grade - and life - with much more.

“Because I teach kindergarten, the students I teach may not always remember me when they get older, but hopefully they will always have a part of me inside them,” Brueggen said.

“The part that I gave them love and hope and taught them to believe in themselves.”

Brueggen’s peers certainly believe in her.

She was announced last week as the Kingfisher Public Schools Teacher of the Year for 2023-24.

The announcement came during an in-service day at the Heritage Auditorium.

Brueggen was one of KPS staff previously named top teachers in their respective buildings. She was joined by Morgan Shuman, second grade teacher at Heritage Elementary; Melody Kuehn, STEAM/Enrichment at Kingfisher Upper Elementary; Jill Myers, eighth grade math at Kingfisher Junior High; and Ken Thompson, English/AP English at KHS.

Each individual school voted on its teacher of the year and then the entire district staff voted from that group of winners to select the districtwide winner.

“This is quite the honor,” Brueggen said. “I really feel overwhelmed with appreciation.”

Gilmour Principal Makylah Tollefson said Brueggen’s affection for her students is evident each day.

“Her love for teaching and commitment to education shines through every day as she helps students to be the best they can be,” Tollefson said.

The middle of Jerry and Patt Sandefur’s three daughters, Kara (Sandefur) Brueggen was a standout basketball player and a member of three state championship teams before graduating from Dover in 2004.

After college, she returned to her alma mater to teach…following her mother’s career footsteps. Patt Sandefur was a longtime teacher at Dover Elementary before retiring.

Brueggen taught kindergarten at Dover for four years.

Her mother was - and remains - a tremendous mentor for Brueggen.

“When I started teaching, I was the sole teacher of kindergarten,” she recalled. “I was hugely dependent upon my mom for guidance.

“She was and still is an amazing light for me with her great ideas and advice.” She’s now in her 11th year at Gilmour. Save for two years she taught first grade, Brueggen has been at the kindergarten level.

Brueggen said her fellow teachers have also played a big part in her career.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my kindergarten teammates, past and current,” she said. “All of their knowledge has played a huge role in all aspects of my life. I love all of them dearly.”

She’s also got a love for teaching…and for helping her students learn and achieve.

“Some of the most rewarding things as a teacher of tiny humans is seeing those light bulbs come on when things are achieved and the smiles these students show every day when they enter my classroom,” Brueggen said.

That’s just a small part of what makes her worthy of the district’s top honor, said her principal.

“Mrs. Brueggen is a great team player and always willing to go above and beyond to help anyone when needed,” Tollefson said.

“The impact she has on her students and our school is endless.

“We are so fortunate to have her on our team at Gilmour.”