Building Stronger Communities Together

Our teachers should be recognized more often for their hard work and commitment to making a difference in their students' lives. Highline invites you to nominate someone you feel deserves to be recognized as a Teacher of the Month. Winning teachers will receive a gift card.

This month, we are honoring Mr. Jonathan Moore, Special Education Teacher who runs the resource room, teaching English and Math to K-12 students, and the middle school track coach at Rapid River Schools. He has been teaching for 11 years. He started his career at Big Bay where he spent two years, moved to three years in Gwinn, one year in Kalkaska, one year at Escanaba, two years in Munising, left teaching for two years and now he’s been at Rapid River for the last two years. 

He holds a master’s degree in Learning Disabilities and worked with the Autism Centers of Michigan in Traverse City while teaching in Kalkaska. Jonathan enjoys interacting with the kids and building a rapport with the kids building a good relationship with them. He said that if he’s having a bad day the kids have a way of changing his perspective on something and helping him turn his day around. Math may be his strength, but he has learned to enjoy teaching English and Reading as well. The most difficult part of teaching is the anxiety and concerns he feels for his students over time. Since they only have the kids for a few hours during the day it’s hard to know what his students encounter once they leave school for the day. We asked Jonathan who or what may have inspired him to choose a career in teaching. He told us that Mr. O is his mentor at the school who was also his biology teacher, football and track coach when he attended Rapid River as a student, inspired him to choose teaching and coaching as a career. He would like to let anyone that is interested in a teaching career know that it is definitely a career worth pursuing, it’s not the highest paying job in the world, but the most rewarding and if you enjoy what you do the money doesn’t matter.

Outside of school you will find him tending to his 9 chickens, 2 dogs, 4 cats, where he is kind of developing a small hobby farm at his home in Rapid River. He plays sports all Summer long and lifts weights all year. He’d like to thank the person who nominated him. He stated as teachers, they don’t usually get this kind of recognition in this regard. People do tell teachers they are doing a good job but to have something this concrete to show actually meant a whole lot to him. The person who nominated him said, “Jonathan Moore is the architect of a safe, inclusive world for students who often find school overwhelming. He masters the delicate balance of high expectations and profound empathy, transforming frustration into "aha" moments. Jonathan’s kindness is a vital tool, providing a lifeline to students through his unwavering belief that a disability never defines potential. He doesn't just teach a curriculum; he fosters independence and builds lasting confidence.” Mr. Moore, THANK YOU for choosing a career in education to shape the future of the next generations. Please tell a teacher “Thank you” and please tell Mr. Moore THANK YOU, for his dedication to his Students at Rapid River School.

Please help us celebrate our Teacher of the Month from Rudyard Elementary School, Jessica Krueger! Jessica began her teaching journey in Western Michigan in 2013 and moved to the UP about 10 years ago. Now in her 9th year at Rudyard, this year marks an exciting new chapter as her first year teaching elementary science to the entire school! When asked what she loves most about her job, she said, "building meaningful relationships with students and getting to work with every kid in the building each day." Outside the classroom, she enjoys spending quality time with her family. Thank you for the passion, dedication, and care you bring to Rudyard’s students every day. They are lucky to have you!
 

We're excited to recognize Mrs. Charlee English as our December Teacher of the Month- also to celebrate her as our 1,500th customer in Upson County!

Charlee was nominated for her incredible dedication and hard work in her role every single day. We are honored to celebrate an educator who makes such a meaningful impact on our students and community. Congratulations, and thank you for all you do!

Get those nominations ready for 2026!

Our first responders should be recognized for their dedication and commitment to public safety in our communities. Highline invites you to nominate someone you feel deserves to be recognized as a First Responder of the Month. Winning nominees will receive a gift card.

Congratulations to Kaleb Powell, EUP’s First Responder of the Month!

Originally from Southwest Michigan, Officer Powell joined Manistique Public Safety as a sworn officer in August 2022. With a strong background in Fire and EMS since 2014, he’s passionate about serving the community. 
Before joining MPS, he worked with Columbus Fire in McMillan and served as a Cardiac Rehab Coordinator at Helen Newberry Joy Hospital, where he also completed his EMT certification. He has always enjoyed helping others.
Off duty, he’s all about family. He and his wife enjoy disc golfing, biking, and spending quality time with their two young children. 

We appreciate your commitment to ensuring the safety of our communities. Thank you, Officer Powell!