Napoleon’s Brian Schneider Named 2027 North Dakota Teacher of the Year

At an event held in the state Capitol on the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 24, a large crowd of educators, leaders, supporters and former honorees gathered to celebrate four outstanding finalists for North Dakota’s highest teaching honor. All four were members of North Dakota United.

By the end of the ceremony, one of them — Napoleon agricultural education teacher Brian Schneider — had a new title: 2027 North Dakota Teacher of the Year.

State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier opened this year’s ceremony with remarks about the varied backgrounds, subject areas, philosophies and accomplishments of each finalist before summing up the shared values that brought them all to that moment.

“Every one of them shares the same belief at the core of their work that every student deserves to be known, to be challenged, and to be believed in,” Bachmeier said.

When the big moment arrived, Bachmeier described Schneider as “someone who has spent four decades proving that a single teacher in a single small town can change the trajectory of generation after generation of students” before announcing him as the 2027 honoree.

Schneider has spent 40 years in education, including 35 years teaching agricultural education at Napoleon Public School. His FFA program has earned 151 state individual and team championships and three national championships, but Bachmeier said Schneider’s impact is measured by more than trophies. He pointed to the relationships Schneider has built with generations of students and his commitment to helping them believe in themselves.

“It is truly going to be an honor to represent the teachers in our state who show up every day with a passion for helping students learn, grow and become successful adults in our society,” Schneider said.

Schneider used his remarks to recognize his fellow finalists and educators across the state, as well as his colleagues in agricultural education and career and technical education. He also thanked the Napoleon school district, his colleagues, family and students for supporting him throughout his career.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong also recognized Schneider’s ability to see students as individuals, noting that every student enters the classroom with different strengths, challenges and goals. That individual attention, Armstrong said, has helped Schneider earn the respect of his students while preparing them for life and careers beyond high school.

NDU President Nick Archuleta echoed Bachmeier’s observation that, despite teaching different subjects and serving students in different ways, the four finalists share a common purpose.

“You have four outstanding teachers, four distinct leaders, four different areas of expertise, but there is a common thread that unites all four of them ... and that is their belief in their students,” Archuleta said.

Joining Schneider as this year’s finalists were:

• Dustin Moe teaches band, choir and general music at Washburn Public School, where he has taught since 2010.
• Jennifer Nokes is a special education strategist serving K-5 students at Roosevelt Elementary School in Dickinson.
• Teresa Olson teaches family and consumer sciences, with a focus on child care and development, at the James Valley Career and Technology Center in Jamestown.

For all the accolades that accompanied his selection, Schneider ended his remarks by tracing his career back to an educator who first saw something in him.

He credited his own teacher, Wade Anderson, with encouraging him as a high school senior to pursue agricultural education — a suggestion Schneider admitted he didn’t understand at the time.

Decades later, standing at the Capitol as North Dakota’s Teacher of the Year, Schneider reflected on what Anderson had seen in him.

“He obviously saw something that I didn’t,” Schneider said, “and here we are today.”