Mr. Hysong is one of the many teachers who takes the extra mile for students to succeed. Senior Zoee Harrington goes to him for help rather it be math or a personal issue. She knows she can count on him.

“Hysong has always been there to listen and be a shoulder to cry on if I was ever down. I can’t think of any other person to deserve this award more,” Harrington said.

The announcement for teacher of the year was made by Mrs. Reininger in front of the whole staff after school on Nov. 14. Mr. Hysong, a math teacher, was selected by his peers for the award.

“I feel great, it is an honor. It is a privilege to be selected by all the faculty of Liberty,” Mr. Hysong said.

At first, Mr. Hysong did not desire to be a math teacher.

“I originally was going to be an engineer and went on a college visit and decided that was not for me,” he said. “I still wanted to do something with math but a little more social so I chose to be a math teacher.”

He has been a teacher for 12 years. He spent his first nine years at West Junior High School in Columbia teaching 8th and 9th graders and three years at Liberty.

Ever since he started teaching, he found a love and passion for his job, especially working with high school students.

“I went into secondary education because I didn’t think I would be able to get along with the middle school students, but then I was placed in junior high and I taught 8th grade students for nine years and it ended up being good,” Mr. Hysong said. “When I moved I knew I wanted to be with older kids, I just felt like you can have more authentic relationships and conversations.”

Hysong is originally from Warrenton. When he moved here he knew he wanted to be in the Wentzville School District.

“I had always heard positive things about the Wentzville School District. When I was looking at schools in WSD, I noticed that Mr. Pryor was an assistant principal at Liberty,” Mr. Hysong said. ”He was my golf coach at Warrenton when I was in high school. Once I got the opportunity to sit down and talk with Mr. Pryor and Mr. Nelson, I knew that I wanted to be at Liberty.”

From the start, Hysong knew Liberty was a place to be. Each day, he continues to make an impression on not only students but colleagues as well.

“It is a joy working with him, he and I laugh everyday and it’s fantastic,” Ms. Jacks said.

As a teacher, their job is prepare you for the next several years in high school. Hysong makes sure his students are prepared beyond high school.

“My role as a Formal Algebra 2 teacher is to prepare students for College Algebra or Algebra 3,” Mr. Hysong said. “But it also is to help students prepare for the next level of education or the workforce. If that’s the workforce – how to be socially ready, if it’s college –  to be academically ready but also socially ready, how to work hard and be responsible and build relationships.”

Mr. Nelson says Mr. Hysong has been a strong addition to the math department.

“He has been a fantastic addition to our math team. He really understands how to help and prepare students,” Nelson said.

Mr. Hysong continues to prepare students but also to build relationships with them.

“The biggest challenge I face is student motivation. The best way to deal with that is try to build relationships with students. They will work for you because they like you,” Mr. Hysong said.

As Liberty’s teacher of the year, Hysong advances to the next round for the district teacher of the year.  On Dec. 20, the district teacher of the year will be announced at the board of education meeting.