Alums Casey & Kaley Mills are dynamic Teachers of the Year

In the heart of Westhope, N.D., two names are synonymous with dedication and excellence in education: Casey Mills, a fifth-grade teacher who specializes in math and Kaley Mills, who taught kindergarten for 12 years and is now an interventionist for grades K-12 at the Westhope Public School. Before working together at Westhope school, the two initially crossed paths while in their final year of getting their degrees at MSUM. They were put into the same cohort for their education program and then began dating while they were student teaching. They both graduated in 2009 with degrees in elementary education.

As they moved on from school to their professional careers, they both felt prepared because of what they learned at MSUM. Casey and Kaley had a good grasp of what they needed to know before going into their first year of teaching.

“MSUM taught us to have that drive to keep pursuing our careers and knowledge. We came out of school knowing what we needed to do and how to do it. We didn’t feel left in the dark; we knew how to get the job done,” says Casey Mills.

BS in Elementary Inclusive Education

Kaley says that, along with providing them with the necessary knowledge to teach, MSUM also offered a lot of support for their post-graduate lives. Kaley relied on influential mentors like Erin Gillett, Heather Sand, and the teachers they student- taught for to answer questions during their journey to becoming Teachers of the Year for Bottineau County.

Having Kaley named Teacher of the Year in 2022 and Casey in 2024 brought a lot of attention to the amazing work they were doing in and out of the classroom. Casey tells how proud yet humbled the award made him feel, "We are a very tight-knit community here at the school. We have only one teacher per grade, and we are better because of the teachers we work with. The award motivated me to work harder, and to work not only for my students but for the other teachers who work just as hard."

Casey and Kaley's all for one and one for all mentality is what makes their teaching so special. They both learn new things every day to advance themselves in their classrooms. Casey, for example, is in the STEM Academy, so he can keep up with new developing technologies and bring them to his classroom.

Casey recently received a prestigious award. He was named Montana Dakota Utilities'(MDU) STEM Educator of the Year. He had submitted one of his students for the STEM All Star student program and the student was picked, so Casey wrote a summary of what he did in his classroom. Casey and Kaley were both surprised when they showed up to support the student at the event and Casey was awarded the title.

"We walked out onto the field with our own kids that were there, and they were so proud and excited for me. It was a huge thing that gave me more motivation to keep pushing the envelope in my classroom and to continue evolving my programs," says Casey Mills.

Casey recently received a new grant to secure funding to bring a drone program to the school, which is very impactful for his fifth-grade room. Receiving funding and keeping up with STEM developments has been challenging for him, but he keeps working at it because he knows it will make him a better teacher.

Both Casey and Kaley shared how recent developments in technology have changed the world of education and how it's affecting them. "The way we used to teach kids how to read has changed, and we now know more about the development of the brain and how children learn to read. So, we bring those best practices and keep up with research so that we're doing our best to support all our students."

Along with being an interventionist at Westhope Public School and taking student dyslexia courses, Kaley also works for the Central Regional Education Association in North Dakota, where she is on the cutting edge of what's coming out to the state, and then she brings that back to Westhope. Just like how Casey brings back what he has learned from the STEM Academy. This shows how adaptable the two are and persistent in making their environments the best they can be for their students.

Casey and Kaley are a prime example of people who work as a team; the pair have been working just down the hall from each other for 16 years. To avoid teacher burnout, the two use each other to bounce back.

"We are fortunate to have each other to communicate with. As soon as the coffee pot is turned on, we chat about education, like 'How do we get them to the next level. What does this student need? Or what can we do in the school system?' Honestly, we don't know any different; we feed off each other," says Casey Mills.

It is a part of their everyday routine to discuss their two different subjects and new ideas with each other. The two also have a long-running photography business, KC Photography, they collaborate on. These two are interwoven into each other's lives, being on committees together, taking care of their own children, and going out to support their students.

"We really are each other's biggest cheerleaders. What really makes our relationship unique is that there is no competition, we just want what's best for each of our own careers." says Kaley Mills.

Casey and Kaley Mills embody dedication and innovation in education, demonstrating how passion and continuous learning can shape a thriving career. Their journey from MSUM graduates to celebrated educators in Westhope illustrates the profound impact of commitment and mutual support.

Kaley's biggest piece of advice for new teachers is, “You must keep that mentality that there is always more to be learned. We need people who are passionate about kids and about making changes in their lives and being able to be adaptable to the changing world around you.