NEWS RELEASE: Roseville Community Schools Announces 2025/2026 Teachers of the Year
Roseville Community Schools is proud to announce three exceptional educators as the 2025-2026 Outstanding Teachers of the Year. Julie Grill (Elementary), Ian Jellis (Middle School), and Andrea Burns (High School) were selected as this year’s recipients.
Julie Grill has been teaching elementary school in Roseville for 34 years. She started her career as a second-grade yearlong sub at Huron Park Elementary (now Green Elementary) and spent a year teaching kindergarten at Alumni Elementary and Kaiser Elementary. In 1994, she made the shift to upper elementary where she has spent the rest of her career teaching fifth grade at Kaiser. She has also served as a member of the School Improvement Team, an art club sponsor, chair of the PBIS team at Kaiser, and has been a mentor teacher for new employees in the district. Principal Kelly Grider said that she has had the privilege of watching Grill consistently put students first in everything she does. “She creates a classroom where students feel valued, supported, and challenged to grow, and she quietly goes above and beyond each day without seeking recognition. Mrs. Grill is incredibly humble and would much rather celebrate her students than stand in the spotlight herself, which makes this honor even more well-deserved.”
Ian Jellis is now in his 23rd year of teaching in Roseville. He started his career teaching fifth and sixth grade at Alumni Elementary from 2003 to 2010 and at Kment Elementary from 2011 to 2014. In 2015, he worked as the auxiliary teacher for French at all the district elementary schools. In 2016, he made the move to middle school where he has been teaching seventh grade ELA and French to both 7th and 8th graders at Roseville Middle School. Over the years, Jellis has served as a Safety Patrol sponsor, co-sponsored a Young Authors program, and was a sponsor of the Foreign Language Club. RMS Principal Mike Mitchell said that Jellis has been a consistent, approachable leader to staff and students. “He is well known as an adult who will build strong, positive relationships grounded in trust, respect, and communication.” Mitchell added Jellis creates a welcoming and inclusive classroom environment where students feel safe, supported, and encouraged to be their authentic selves. He takes time to understand each student as an individual, which strengthens engagement and academic growth, as well as maintains open and proactive communication with parents, ensuring they feel informed, valued, and involved in their child's education.”
Andrea Burns has been in education for 19 years. She started at Muskegon High School as a reading specialist, then moved to Coldwater High School where she taught ELA. She spent two years as an assistant principal at Coldwater’s Legg Middle School before joining Roseville in 2019 as an assistant principal at Roseville Middle School. After two years, she decided to return to the classroom. Since 2021, she has been a member of the RHS ELA team, where she now teaches English 9 and AP Literature & Composition. She also serves as a mentor to new teachers, a member of the School Improvement Team, a National Honor Society sponsor, a student/parent Book Club organizer, and a part of the RHS Disciplinary Literacy team. RHS Principal Jason Bettin said that Burns believes in the potential of all students, takes their success and struggles to heart, and creates successful young adults. “The true level of care and compassion, combined with fair, but firm expectations she creates in her classroom, makes it so that students learn and thrive.” He added that she has created a classroom where students feel welcomed. “Her students understand that expectations are high, both academically and behaviorally, but they will be coached and supported to meet those expectations every day.”
Superintendent Mark Blaszkowski said that this year’s honorees exemplify excellence both inside and outside of the classroom. “Roseville Community Schools has provided the community with outstanding teachers for over100 years, and this year is no exception. Mrs. Grill, Mr. Jellis and Mrs. Burns are enthusiastic, motivating educators that make a difference in our students’ lives. Each of them brings their own skill sets that resonate with the students. There were many qualified candidates for this award, and it is a true accomplishment to receive this award.”
RCS Outstanding Teacher of the Year candidates are nominated by peers, administrators, students, family members, or community members. Each candidate must have a minimum of three completed nominations to be considered. A review committee, which is made up of principals from all levels and the deputy superintendent, meets to rank two candidates from each level to present to the superintendent for final review, with the superintendent confirming their top choices. All three district Outstanding Teacher of the Year winners will be honored at the MISD’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year Awards Banquet on April 21, 2026, as well as at the district’s Board of Education meeting on May 4, 2026.
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