Excellent Educators: Katherine Rader & Tawni Gaslin Of Four Seasons A+ Elementary

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Every Wednesday we like to honor one Twin Cities teacher who goes above and beyond. But this week we got an unusual request from a parent.

Ted Sibley loves both his sons' teachers at Four Seasons A+ Elementary in St. Paul so much, he couldn't decide who should get the award. And neither could we!

That's why both Mrs. Katherine Rader and Mrs. Tawni Gaslin are Excellent Educators.

Rader returned to school to accept the award. After only being gone 13 days since giving birth to her son, Charlie, Rader's third-graders certainly missed her and she missed them.

"Every single day I think about them...and I'm really excited to see them today, too," she said.

Rader proves she's full of energy, which is just what she loves about her students.

"I just love their spontaneity, their creativity, there's never a dull moment," she said.

Rader made an impact on not only her students but their parents.

Sibley is the father of two kids from Columbia. Both their teachers, he says, make his kids feel right at home.

"Both these teachers do a great job with the minority students, they have some that don't even speak English and they do a great job at welcoming them," he said.

So, we also had to pay a visit to Gaslin's kindergarten class.

From classroom activates to loading students up on the bus for a field trip, Gaslin's mission hasn't changed since she began her career more than 30 years ago.

"To make a difference, to experience life with little people and hopefully start their journey on the best foot possible," she said.

"She's like a teacher who is very special, she is the most awesome teacher I've ever seen," said Sam Sibley, one of her students.

"I love how quickly they grow and change," Gaslin said. "It's so much fun to be with them."