Natchez teacher named Nevada 2022 Teacher of the Year

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

Natchez Elementary School teacher Deanne Moyle-Hicks was named the 2022 Nevada Teacher of the Year during a surprise assembly celebration on Monday.

Hicks teaches fourth-grade students at Natchez Elementary School. A guest on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation, she has served northern Nevada students for 28 years. Hicks advocates for education that embraces and empowers all students of diverse cultures.

“Throughout her 28-year teaching career, Deanne Moyle-Hicks’ passion and care have positively impacted the lives of countless students in Nevada,” said Governor Steve Sisolak. “She is a life-long Nevadan and a life-long learner who models hard work and perseverance to her students daily. It is more important now than ever to recognize and uplift the dedicated teachers who continue to make learning engaging and accessible for students, and Ms. Hicks is a phenomenal example of this approach.”

Hicks is a life-long Nevadan and an alumna of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Impassioned about global learning and innovation in education, she completed her student teaching in New Zealand. She works extensively as a teacher leader in roles including Teach Plus Nevada Policy Fellow, national Understood Fellow, and Nevada National Board Professional Learning Network member. She has also collaborated with Opportunity 180, the Nevada PTA, and Nevada Succeeds, and works with the Teachers and Leaders Council and the national Teach Plus Teacher Cabinet.  

“Our 2022 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Hicks, demonstrates several qualities that make her an exemplary teacher, including her passion in bringing an equitable education to each and every child, her cultivation of family partnerships to positively impact student success, and her work to support students’ social-emotional health,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert. “I am grateful to have educators like Ms. Hicks leading the way for Nevada’s students, and we are thrilled to honor her as our 2022 Nevada Teacher of the Year!”  

The mission of the Nevada Teacher of the Year program is to celebrate excellence and strengthen the teaching force by honoring and recognizing exceptional teachers on a school, district, State, and national level. The Nevada Teacher of the Year is chosen from nominated individuals who are then invited to apply. After a rigorous application and interview process, five finalists were sent to Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction, to make the final selection. 

The four finalists for the 2022 Nevada Teacher of the Year are:   

• Jeanine Roser of West Career and Technical Academy in Clark County School District
• Jennifer Hurt of Desert Rose High School in Clark County School District
• Rachel Croft of Bordewich Bray Elementary School in Carson City School District
• Lissa Kellogg of Yerington Elementary School in Lyon County School District

“Ms. Hicks is an educator, leader, and inspiration, and we are grateful to have her in our school community,” said Jake Chapin, Principal at Natchez Elementary School. “Her dedication to our students and school community is unmatched; every morning, Ms. Hicks drives 45 miles to teach the students and families she loves at Natchez Elementary and on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation. We truly appreciate working in Washoe County, a district that recognizes the unique needs of our community and families and provides the support necessary for teachers like Ms. Hicks to work her magic.”

As Nevada’s 2022 Teacher of the Year, Hicks will represent the Silver State in the National Teacher of the Year competition. In 2021, Nevada’s Teacher of the Year, Juliana Urtubey, was recognized as the National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers.