Orient Teacher Named ‘Regional Teacher of the Year’

Kettle Falls resident Gretchen Cruden has been named Regional Teacher of the Year by NorthEast Washington Educational Service District (NEWESD) 101. Cruden is the principal and middle school teacher at Orient School in Ferry County. “I’m deeply honored, and honestly, a little overwhelmed,” stated Cruden. “Teaching is work you do with other people: students who take risks and keep growing, colleagues who show up for them every day, and families who trust us with their children. I’m proud to represent Orient. I hope this recognition draws attention to the remarkable work happening in small, rural schools.” A NEWESD 101 press release stated, “Her teaching approach combines rigorous academics with trauma-informed instruction, social-emotional learning, and place-based experiences that reflect students’ families and rural community,” and added, “Because she often works with students over several years and across multiple subjects, Cruden has described relationship-building and continuity as central to her practice.”

The press release also discussed curriculum that Cruden helped develop. “One example is Room 180, a trauma-informed social-emotional learning novel and curriculum Cruden co-developed with an educational psychologist. The program integrates reading, writing, neuroscience, and social-emotional learning while helping students understand how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors connect.” Cruden will represent the region at the Educator of the Year Ceremony on Oct. 10 in Olympia at the Capital High School Performing Arts Center where she will be a contender for state teacher of the year. Karen McCue, who nominated Cruden, wrote on the nomination form, “She doesn’t just teach content; Gretchen teaches them how to think.” She added, “In short, she’s the middle school teacher that I wish I could have had.”

According to NEWESD 101’s website, each Regional Teacher of the Year is determined by a committee chosen by the state. Criteria to be selected include: having the “respect and admiration of their colleagues;” being an “expert in their field who guides students of all backgrounds and abilities to achieve excellence;” someone who “collaborates with colleagues, students, and families to create a school culture of respect and success;” who “deliberately connects the classroom and key stakeholders to foster a strong community at large;” and “demonstrates leadership and innovation in and outside of the classroom walls” in a way that emulates lifelong learning.

Cruden said Orient School District has offered many opportunities to be innovative. “This has allowed us to do everything from student outdoor survival skills to growing wheat on our playground to harvest and bake into bread.” Cruden has studied the human brain, she said, and that impacts the way she teaches. “When a student is struggling, I try to begin with curiosity and connection before correction,” she stated. She said she wants students to see themselves as “capable of doing meaningful work. Independent projects give them room to pursue questions they care about, build skills, and show what they can do.” Cruden has worked in the education field for 27 years, she stated. She and her husband, Gabriel Cruden, moved to Orient in 2003 and she joined the Orient School District staff. Cruden has a bachelor’s in biology and education from Eastern Washington University (EWU). She has a master’s in teaching from Grand Canyon University and a Mind, Brain, and Teaching certificate through Johns Hopkins University. She earned her Administrative certificate through EWU in 2022. Looking forward, Cruden said she wants to “keep teaching and keep improving what we do at Orient. I’m especially interested in helping students understand how they learn, work through difficulty, and build futures they’re excited about.”

Cruden also wants to share that knowledge and practice with others in her field. She started Enriched Teaching as a way to help teachers “turn neuroscience research into practical classroom strategies…I think we have things to learn from one another,” she said. Students are more than their test scores or the hardest moments, stated Cruden. “When a child feels known and starts to believe they can grow, you can see a real change in what they’re willing to try. That’s the part of teaching I love,” she said. She also highlighted Orient’s students and staff. “An individual receives the award, but a school is built by people working together every day. I’m fortunate to be one of them.