9,000 students later, longtime Rigby High School educator is Idaho’s Teacher of the Year

Teacher and Idaho’s 2025 Teacher of the Year Laron Johnson surrounded by his family at Rigby High School. | Daniel V. Ramirez, EastIdahoNews.com RIGBY — Teaching for 29 years, a local economics teacher at Rigby High School has been recognized as Idaho’s 2026 Teacher of the Year. Before Laron Johnson was announced as the Teacher of the Year, Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield, invited him to discuss the school’s recent successes in its ISAT scores. According to a news release from the Idaho Department of Education, Rigby placed higher than the state average in English, math and science. Disadvantaged students also became more proficient in math over the past years. She said Rigby High School is the second-largest high school in the Gem State, and often, with a large student population, it can be argued that not all will reach that achievement level. This is not the case, and it shows, according to Critchfield. “They’re making a difference for kids,” Critchfield said. For all the successes the school has seen, Critchfield said it falls back onto those who make this happen, and that is teachers. “As far as the Teacher of the Year award, it’s an opportunity to celebrate teachers across the state,” Critchfield said. “It reminds us that the most important element of a classroom is the educator.” Johnson, a die-hard Trojan and supporter of the school’s football team, told EastIdahoNews.com that receiving the Teacher of the Year award is humbling, but there are many amazing teachers at Rigby High School. During his tenure, Johnson has taught more than 9,000 students and said while he has a bit of gray in my hair, “Imma gonna be in the game a long time.” One of his former students, Trent Van Leuven, a teacher in Mackay, said Johnson is one of the most incredible educators and was the man who inspired him to pursue a career in education. Van Leuven, who was 2024’s Idaho Teacher of the Year, represented Idaho educators nationally in the Teacher of the Year program, where he spoke on finding students’ hidden talents. RELATED | Ag instructor at local high school named Idaho Teacher of the Year During his address to the legislature, he indicated that he had Johnson in mind when discussing how teachers can assist students in outlining a career path that suits them, as he did for him. “(Teaching) is a call to service,” Van Leuven said. “I can’t think of a better person to represent students and teachers across the state and even on the national level.” Johnson said Idaho has so many wonderful and talented teachers, many of whom he has the opportunity to work with. “I know I’m with so many great people, and there are so many more worthy people,” Johnson said. While speaking during the assembly and advising other teachers, he mentioned that his daughter just became a teacher at Rigby High School this year. “She’s a first-year teacher, and a lot of the teachers here had her,” Johnson said. “She has that spirit, and this is the best job in the world.” Along with being Idaho’s Teacher of the Year, Johnson will receive a check for $10,000 from CapEd Credit Union, and all the funds will be up to Johnson to decide how to use. Johnson said that, jokingly, he teaches his students about economics. He may invest in it for his retirement account, but might use a portion of it to travel. “My wife and I are avid travelers, so a lot of our extra funds go into massive amounts of trips,” Johnson said. “It will be invested.”The post 9,000 students later, longtime Rigby High School educator is Idaho’s Teacher of the Year appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com