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Harvey teacher Bret Dockter named teacher of the year

Submitted Photo Harvey sixth-grade teacher Bret Dockter, center, was named state teacher of the year on Monday during a ceremony in Bismarck. At left is North Dakota Superintendent of Schools Kirsten Baesler and right is North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

BISMARCK — Bret Dockter, a sixth-grade teacher at B.M. Hanson Elementary School and coach of the Harvey High School football team, was named the North Dakota teacher of the year on Monday during a ceremony at the North Dakota State Capitol.

“There’s really not (just) one reason why he’s a great teacher,” said Teresa Harding, his elementary school principal.

Harding said Dockter, who has taught at the school for about 23 years, makes every one of his students feel special and active and part of their learning.

He has a strong commitment to service learning and his projects have benefited the Harvey community as well as teaching students to give back. One year the class raised money to buy bullet proof vests for the police department. Another year they helped make improvements to the community movie theater. His classes do an investigation to determine what the community needs most and then set out to help get it.

“He really is fantastic with student engagement,” said Harding.

Dockter was one of four finalists for the award. Other finalists included Heather Ell, a first-grade teacher at John Hoeven Elementary School in Minot; Shari Jerde, a teacher of business education and family and consumer sciences at the Community High School in Grand Forks; and Matthew Nielson, a science teacher in the 11th and 12th grades at Valley City Junior Senior High School.

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