By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. — Baxter Springs High School science teacher Arthur Commons is a finalist for the 2010 Kansas Teacher of the Year award.

Commons will be among eight finalists vying for the honor, to be announced during a ceremony Nov. 21 in Wichita, according to a news release from the Kansas State Department of Education.

“I feel honored,” Commons said by phone from his classroom last week. “There’s a lot of teachers who deserve it as much as I do. I’m happy to be able to represent our school.”

Commons said he has been teaching in Baxter Springs for seven years and has been teaching for 12 years total. His fellow teachers nominated him for the local honor.

“As far as qualities that helped me are just being able to connect with students on a personal level, and hopefully inspire students to learn inside and outside the classroom,” Commons said.

Statewide, 91 teachers were nominated for the distinction. Commons was among six semifinalists selected in the 2nd Congressional District. He was among two finalists selected from the district. Two finalists also were selected from each of the other three districts.

Larry Cannon, Baxter Springs High School principal, said Commons is good at building better relations with students and communicating with parents. He said Commons often volunteers for extra duties and is a good public speaker.

Cannon said Commons’ primary subject is biology.

“He knows his subject really well and explains it to students so they can understand,” Cannon said. “For a lot of kids, that’s one of the hardest subjects they’ll have in high school.”

Cash award

Each finalist for the Kansas Teacher of the Year award received a $2,000 cash award, according to the Kansas State Department of Education.