DEVILS LAKE, N.D. – On the afternoon of Wednesday, April 1, faculty, staff and students from the Devils Lake Public School (DLPS) District gathered in a school assembly in the Devils Lake High School (DLHS) Sports Center gymnasium to honor their nominees and final choices for DLPS Teacher and Support Staff of the Year. The school orchestra provided various musical selections while led by conductor Jeremiah Johnson. For DLPS Superintendent Ned Clooten, it felt great to be able to commend their outstanding candidates in such a fashion. “It’s the first time we’ve ever had the whole school body here to celebrate,” he said.
Amid enthusiastic applause and cheers from the crowd of fellow teachers, support staff and students, it was announced that DLHS science teacher Jerad Lehmann had been selected as the school district’s Teacher of the Year, while DLHS custodian Todd Dauphinais was chosen as Support Staff of the Year.
DLHS Principal Ryan Hanson, wearing a vibrant suit jacket emblazoned with a mixture of the red and black school colors, had described Lehmann at the assembly as a school leader, sports enthusiast, mentor, lifelong learner and an all-around great person. “This person spends their days building relationships through hands-on activities, making the learning real, engaging, and honestly, probably a lot more fun than most of us adults remember high school,” Hanson said of Lehmann, adding that the science teacher had “a unique ability to reach every student, creating a classroom where students feel safe, valued and confident enough to take risks and grow.”
Hanson also said that Lehmann is always there for his students and fellow staff members, and that he leads with compassion, patience and a genuine love for what he does, understanding “what great educators know best: We teach students first, and content second.”
Lehmann’s family, who had been sequestered in another room prior to the announcement, came forth to congratulate the science teacher as he came to the stage to accept the award. “Wow, I was not expecting that,” Lehman said at the lectern in front of the assembled crowd. “However, one of my nieces traveled here from Grand Forks. I happened to check my phone during my prep, and I saw that she was in town, so that was kind of suspicious.”
“There were many well-deserving other people that could have gotten this, so (I’m) very honored and privileged to have received the award, so thank you very much,” he said to thunderous applause and cheers.
“I was shocked,” Lehmann said later, adding that he has been a teacher for 16 years, 10 of those years spent in Devils Lake. With his selection as Teacher of the Year for Devils Lake, Lehman is eligible for consideration for the 2027 North Dakota Teacher of the Year Award, which will be selected in September of this year by a state selection committee in Bismarck.
When asked how he had been inspired to teach science, Lehmann admitted he was inspired by his own academic experience. “It was my science teachers that really led me in that direction,” he said.
Other nominees for Teacher of the Year included Central Middle School (CMS) Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Bethany Elshaug, CMS 6th Grade Teacher Jenna Wright, Prairie View Elementary School Instructional Coach Chrystal Fritel, Minnie H Kindergarten Center (MHKC) Teacher Heidi Hanson, and Schoolwide Title I Teacher Allison Yoder of Sweetwater Elementary School. “The hardest thing that we have to do is … select just one,” Clooten said to the crowd after all the nominees were listed.
Earlier, when introducing the nominees for Support Staff of the Year, Hanson said that high school custodian Dauphinais was known by everyone in the school district, and that he was exceptional at his job. “If something is broken, I guarantee (Dauphinais) will find a way to fix it,” he said. “And if they don’t know, it’s about five minutes of YouTube, they got it. I’m also not sure how much this person has saved the district in dollars, but I’m confident it’s a crazy amount by the number of things they have faced.”
Hanson went on to describe Dauphinais as “one of the kindest, most genuine people you’ll meet. Students and staff know they’ll get patience, humor and that signature smile and laugh. This person is a mentor to many, always willing to share their knowledge and help others grow. All who have worked with (him) are better for having had that privilege. This person shows up every day with care, dedication and positivity.”
As with Lehmann later at the event, Dauphinais was greeted by sequestered family and invited to say a few words. Approaching the lectern with a microphone, he wryly stated that he would keep his remarks short. “Thanks, everybody,” he said with a smile, enjoying a laugh with the audience. “That’s it!”
Afterwards, sitting with his family members in a reserved section for them, Dauphinais said to one of them while holding his toddler son Dion, “I knew something was going on.”
Other nominees for Support Staff of the Year included DLHS Paraprofessional Susan Kukert, CMS Paraprofessional Karlee Oksendahl and District Administrative Assistant Kristel Peterson. Near the beginning of the program, Clooten observed that April 1 was also Paraprofessional Appreciation Day and invited all paraprofessionals at the assembly to stand as the audience clapped in gratitude. “Thank you so much for all that you do, paraprofessionals,” Clooten said amid the applause.
Clooten also took time to praise MHKC Principal Kim Krogfoss for being named North Dakota’s 2026 National Distinguished Principal, DLHS Assistant Principal Jason Wiberg who was recently named North Dakota’s Division A State Athletic Administrator of the Year, as well as previous honorees from past Teacher and Support Staff of the Year selections.
The Teacher and Support Staff of the Year Programs are sponsored by First United Bank, the Devils Lake High School Student Council, and the Devils Lake Public School District. For his selection as Teacher of the Year, First United has awarded Lehmann with a $1,500 stipend to be used for enrollment and participation in a professional workshop or convention, and $250 in Chamber Bucks from DLPS. For his selection as Support Staff of the Year, First United awarded Dauphinais with $500 in Chamber Bucks and $250 in Chamber Bucks from DLPS.
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