The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District has announced the LSR7 2025 Teacher of the Year is Mrs. Aubrey Shortino, a kindergarten teacher at Trailridge Elementary School.

Shortino has been teaching for 19 years and spent the last 16 years of her career teaching in the Lee’s Summit School District.

Her teaching philosophy is that every student can learn. “It is my drive and passion to engage students in the joys of understanding their world around them,” said Shortino.

Shortino involves her kindergarteners in projects to support people in the community and supports her school’s broadcast team, even supporting them at the Missouri School Board Association student showcase.

A committee made up of representatives from the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce and the School District selected Shortino out of a pool of 11 candidates, all recipients of the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Teaching or Teacher of Distinction awards.

Shortino is a 2025 Teacher of Distinction award winner. She received the Excellence in Teaching award in 2023.

The district also announced Mrs. Mary Davis, a resource aide at Trailridge Elementary, is this year’s Support Professional of the Year. The award, in its third year, highlights the members of the LSR7 team who make a big impact on students and the district as support professionals.

Mrs. Davis began working for the district 18 years ago at Trailridge. She was selected out of a pool of nearly 100 nominees, to earn one of six Support Professional Excellence awards. All of those winners are nominated by LSR7 parents, staff and students and selected by building administrators. Her care and focus on keeping everything running smoothly at school contributed to her winning this award.