A famous Japanese proverb reads, “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”

Ivy Stockwell Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Dean Book is the epitome of a great teacher.

Photo courtesy of Thompson Education Foundation – Ivy Stockwell Elementary School fifth grade teacher Dean Book was recognized with Elementary School Educator of the Year award from the Thompson Education Foundation. Book, who has taught at Ivy for 30 years, recently announced his decision to retire at the end of this school year.

Book, who has taught for 30 years, 26 of them in fifth grade at Ivy (where also student taught) was recently awarded Elementary School Educator of the Year by the Thompson Education Foundation (TEF).

The is TEF is a non-profit organization that supports educators and education throughout the Thompson School District (TSD). The group selects one teacher from each school level (elementary, middle and high school) within the district each year for the prestigious award.

Book, who has also served in the United States Navy, said that receiving the recognition was both “humbling” and a “great honor,” and explained, “I just value education so much. I think there are so many great teachers in this school and in our (district) schools and it really humbling that they noticed me. I think there are a lot of teachers that do the same things and do what’s best for kids but it was very rewarding that they noticed me.”

Book makes his home in Greeley and, even with an elementary school just two blocks away, remained at Ivy more than 30 miles away for three decades because of the close-knit community. As Book explained, “I just value the small community in Berthoud. I made the commitment because I love the community, I love the school, I’ve loved the leadership and everything we do here, that’s valuable to me and I’m glad I’ve been able to play a part in this community.”

For much of his career in the TSD, other opportunities were available. There were ones, like his neighborhood school, that were closer to home. There were ones paid their teachers higher salaries and offered more generous benefits packages. As one who obtained a Masters Degree, there were opportunities for Book to move “up the ladder” and work in a school or even district administrative capacity.

Yet Book remained at Ivy; “I love coming to work every day, I love coming to this school,” he explained. “Ivy Stockwell is a special place.”

Over the years a lot has changed, Book explained, as students use much more technology these days than they did when he first began. “We used to write essays with pencil and paper, now we do it on the computer, it’s exciting to see their depth of knowledge with the technology we use now.” Book mentioned but also described how teaching, by and large, has remained the same. “But the kids are the same; kids are fun, kids are exciting, kids are kids. I’ve really enjoyed the relationships I’ve build with the kids.”

Even with changes, in all facets of the education world, Book remains as committed today as he was on his first day. Why? Because the ability to make an impact on the life of child, and do so every day, is immeasurably rewarding.

As he explained, “Not many kids will remember exactly how you told them to write that essay but they’ll remember the time you spent with them, so you try to make those personal times, make those personal connections, important. They’ll be good at writing, they’ll be good at math, but its those personal interactions you have with kids and adults, it’s what so school about this school, this community, it’s easy to make those connections, build those relationships.”

Book said it is making the most out of those unique, one-of-a-kind moments he has had with virtually every student who has passed through his classroom. “Enjoying the moment, that moment in time, when a kid comes up and shows me a picture they did they’re proud of, it’s about celebrating that moment,” Book said and relayed a recent story regarding a sequence in the school’s mush ball (a slow-pitch softball league run annually for students at Ivy) game at lunch time,

“Just yesterday we had a girl who hadn’t really handled the bat well but she got her first hit yesterday, she was so excited, so we celebrated that moment with her,” Book said. “And things like that happen all the time, those micro moments in time, you have to celebrate those.”

While Book himself is far from traditional retirement age, the three-decade tenured educator has just recently announced his decision to retire at the end of this school year. Book says he will continue working, though he has not decided where, with whom or in what capacity. Yet, he became understandably emotional when asked what he expects to feel when he walks out of Ivy’s doors for the last time this May. “I try not to think about,” he said.

As is the case for so many who spend significant time in the Berthoud community, Book said it is the community that is the hardest from which to, not walk away, but to step back. \

“The parents here are about the kids, we’re all in this together, it’s the parents, the teachers, it’s the community, we get so much support, everyone is so willing to do anything for me and for the kids, it’s the community that helps build the schools, we see it every day.”