Every day, when middle schoolers walk into 2026 North Dakota Teacher of the Year Frannie Tunseth’s classroom at May-Port CG Public Schools, they likely carry with them a lot of thoughts about who they are and what things they are — and aren’t — capable of doing.
Maybe they’re “bad at school.”
Maybe they’re “not a reader.”
Maybe they aren’t (yet) fans of Cher’s music.
Tunseth’s job — and her gift — is to quietly dismantle those conclusions students make on what they can’t do, while building up their confidence in what they can.
“I really believe students need to feel seen as people before students,” Tunseth said. “Middle school can be a scary time. What’s fundamentally the same is relationships. Students need relationships and adults who sincerely care about them as people.”
A North Dakota Educator Who Leads With Connection
Tunseth’s belief in the importance of relationships is fully on display the afternoon of Oct. 30. Today is “Throwback Thursday,” in which Tunseth plays a popular song from the past and asks the class to critique. Today’s throwback is “If I Could Turn Back Time” by Cher, and she asks them all to write down their own initial impressions on a hit track she grew up with and seems to still adore. She then collects their assessments and reads aloud their honest takes.
“Usually, I don’t care for songs like this, but the song’s beat is incredible,” one student wrote. “Overall, ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ makes me want to turn back time and listen to it, over and over.” As Tunseth reads out this last part, she becomes visually thrilled. “Oh, I love it so much!” she declares. “Wasn’t that really clever, though? Using the words of the lyrics and the song title, to like, play on that?”
Creating Classrooms Where Students Feel Seen and Valued
For Tunseth, the road to success doesn’t start with test scores or report cards. Rather, it begins with a sense that they belong. In her intervention work with grades 4-8, she prioritizes moments that build confidence — sometimes even the smallest ones.
“I don’t want students leaving proud of a grade; I want them proud of a moment,” she said. “Success isn’t just academics. Sometimes it’s sharing out loud for the first time. Sometimes, it’s walking to the door instead of running.”
Quote byFrannie Tunseth , 2026 ND Teacher of the Year
Teaching Beyond the Curriculum: Trust, Belonging and Growth
That philosophy guided one of her most successful classroom projects: using book trailers — short, visual introductions to novels — to reignite reading motivation among students who had long disconnected from literacy.
“These were kids where reading felt hard and frustrating,” she said. “But just because reading is hard doesn’t mean kids aren’t readers.”
By removing the initial barrier of dense text and replacing it with engaging visuals and authentic curiosity, students began to feel engaged. Eventually, they created their own book trailers — celebrating books they chose and read on their own terms.
“If a student only reads one book all year, that’s fantastic,” Tunseth said. “Look how far they came.”
At its core, the strategy wasn’t about technology or trends. It was about agency. “Belonging is the key to anything that’s successful in a classroom,” she said. “Before we can do anything sustainable, academically or socially, they need to know they belong.”
From Classroom to Community: Why Relationships Matter in Education
Tunseth grew up in a small town, Thief River Falls, Minn., before moving here to attend the University of North Dakota. Now settled in Mayville with her family, she sees rural schooling not as a limitation — but a powerful advantage.
“The more people we have caring about the student and being able to call them by name out in the community and celebrate who they are,” she said, “the more likely they are to have success.”
As one of the leaders behind the school’s implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Tunseth has helped move her building from reactive discipline and academic support to proactive, student-centered planning. “Before MTSS, we were reacting to problems,” she said. “Now we’re responding to them.”
The shift wasn’t just structural, but cultural, too. “We’ve shifted from ‘your students’ to ‘our students,’” she said. “Every child in our building belongs to all of us.”
Why Relationship-First Teaching Matters for North Dakota Schools
Her leadership extends beyond her building. She co-facilitates inquiry-based professional development for teachers across North Dakota — a model built on collaboration rather than compliance. “Teaching shouldn’t be something done to teachers,” she said. “It should be done with them.”
She’s also pursuing her Ph.D., focused on teacher agency — a concept she sees as essential to both student success and teacher retention.
As Teacher of the Year, Tunseth feels both honored and humbled — aware that the spotlight gives her an opportunity to advocate, but also a responsibility to speak honestly. “I feel the weight of it,” she said. “I want to make sure that I do it justice. I want to bring forward the stories that need to be told.”
A Model for Educators: Leading With Empathy, Purpose and Hope
One of the biggest concerns she carries: teacher retention. “We have teachers leaving at an alarming rate, and that’s unsustainable for students,” she said. “This isn’t just a salary issue.”
She’s calling for deeper conversations — and real-world exposure — from decision makers. “I would love lawmakers to spend a day in the classroom,” Tunseth said. “Follow a teacher. See the hats we wear. See the challenges and the magic.”
Despite the challenges, Tunseth remains deeply hopeful — not because of policies or promises, but because of people.
“What gives me hope? The people. Our teachers. Our students. Our community,” she said.
