Special education teacher, Angie Spiecher, panicked when she was pulled into a closed door meeting by her assistants. It usually meant bad news.
She was informed she had been named Teacher of the Year by the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Indiana Education Committee. She will be honored at the national convention, held in Indianapolis in July. Photo provided by American Legion Auxiliary Unit 25

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

PIERCETON — When Angie Spiecher’s assistants grabbed her and pulled her into a closed door room, she panicked. This was her procedure for sharing bad news with them.

“My heart was in my throat when they told me I needed to sit down,” she said.

What she was told next left her stunned. Spiecher, a special education teacher at Pierceton Elementary School, had been named Educator of the Year by the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Indiana Education Committee. She was nominated for her kindness, heart of gold, and the genuine care she shows to all her students and families.

Spiecher’s room assistants and the school’s English Language Learner teacher nominated her and kept the whole thing a secret for six months. Even her daughters, Kelsey and Konnor, were in on the surprise. Her application was submitted by the Pierceton American Legion Auxiliary Unit 258.

Spiecher is the resource teacher for kindergarten through third grade, working with students who have intellectual disabilities, have developmental delays or are emotionally disabled.

She literally stumbled into special education while pursuing a psychology degree. One of the requirements was to observe a special needs classroom. She did and fell in love.

“I don’t know what it is, but I loved it,” she said.

She had found her niche.

“Now, it’s really rewarding for me to see parents bring their kids through the school to the end,” she said.

Spiecher just finished her 38th year teaching and has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

Special education teacher, Angie Spiecher, will always be a Pierceton Cub. She has taught at the school for over 30 years and has no plans to slow down anytime soon. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.

A native of the area, Spiecher attended Whitko schools. After graduating from college, she returned wanting to teach in the Whitko School Corporation.

She taught in Akron for three years before moving to Pierceton Elementary where she’s been ever since. Spiecher noted she started her career in the old elementary school, which she misses.

She is honored to be named Educator of the Year.

“I’ve been overwhelmed. It’s very nice,” she said. “This is a very big deal. The way we are in my room with my assistants, we have an amazing team, and we share things about our personal and professional lives.”

She still marvels at how her school team and her own children managed to keep the secret for so long. When asked how her students felt about her being honored, Spiecher said they understood she won a big award, but couldn’t quite grasp the importance of the honor.

She will be honored at the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Indiana Convention in July. She, her family and her school team will travel to Indianapolis for the event. She’s to be honored on her 60th birthday. Spiecher said it will be quite the birthday bash.

She said she is a bit nervous since she has to go on stage in front of a large crowd.

Spiecher heard the honor comes with a $500 donation to the school. Asked how she’d like to see the donation spent, Spiecher said, “Our old building had the most beautiful murals that were destroyed (when the building was town down).”

She’d like to see the tradition of the murals in the hallways come back.

“I miss that about the old building,” she said.

When she was told she had been selected Educator of the Year, she received a beautiful flower arrangement and a fruit basket.

Asked what comes next, Spiecher said she isn’t interested in retiring anytime soon although she is contemplating doing something different later, such as possibly working at the Warsaw Community Public Library.

“My grandkids and I have spent a lot of time there. I love it,” she said.

She has two grandchildren, Addie and Easton. Another possibility is becoming a permanent substitute for the school corporation.

Spiecher explained she isn’t the type to retire. In fact, she struggles during the summer and Christmas break because she likes to be busy. When she isn’t teaching or creating lesson plans, she can be found at PTO events, school talent shows, parades as well as basketball games and other school activities. In fact, she’s been teaching summer school this month.