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Monday Morning Motivation, a weekly get-together of elementary students and staff at Summerland Schools, started like usual this week.

Elementary principal Cathy Cooper welcomed students for a new week of learning, a staff member discussed ways to handle conflict and stress, students said the Bobcat pledge and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Then, Superintendent Kyle Finke interrupted the weekly routine for an important announcement.

"Last April, Mrs. Cooper was awarded the Region III Outstanding Elementary Principal of the Year," he told the assembly, before presenting the Nebraska-shaped plaque to Cooper.

The young crowd erupted in cheers, hoots and hollars.

"I had no idea the presentation would be today," Cooper said, noting an "honor like this" is possible because of people surrounding her daily - the elementary staff.

Cooper, a veteran classroom teacher and administrator, started her career with a two-year stint in Ewing, from 1987 to 1989.

In the fall of 1989, she accepted a contract to teach English at Orchard Public Schools. Eventually, she was named principal for Nebraska Unified District #1 - Orchard site - and now serves as Summerland's elementary administrator.

Fifty schools comprise Region III, stretching from Brown and Keya Paha counties to the Iowa border and dipping south to include Boone, Platte and Colfax counties.

Cooper said principals in the region typically meet monthly, either in person or via Zoom.

Nominations are accepted from and voted on by Region III principals.

Finke said Cooper's work with data and the school's MTSS program made her a strong candidate for the honor.

Her husband, Mark and daughter Mallory Libolt were guests at Monday's presentation.

Cooper's daughter, Mackenzie McClellan was already in the crowd. She teaches a kindergarten section at Summerland.

LuAnn Schindler | SAM

Surprise • Cathy Cooper listens as Summerland Superintendent Kyle Finke announces Cooper was named Region III Distinguished Elementary Principal and presents a plaque, Monday, at Summerland School. Cooper said she was one of three elementary principals from the 50-school region nominated for the honor.

"Through the ESU, when others ask about how schools use data, I think Sumerland is one of the schools that gets talked about, so I think her leadership gets held to that," the superintendent said. "It shows that other people look at what you're doing."

Finke noted that the nature of a principal's job doesn't draw a lot of attention.

"Their job is a little bit thankless, they deal with discipline and curriculum and everything in between," Finke said. "It's a good organization to belong to and an honor to be recognized."

In 2002, retired Summerland principal Greg Appleby was named the region's high school principal of the year. Finke received the elementary principal honor twice when he served Battle Creek Public Schools.

Cooper said she respects last year's recipient, Jim York, principal at O'Neill Elementary.

"He's a good friend of mine and a role model. He won because he is great, so I was very surprised," she said. "It's humbling."