The Auburn School District Board of Directors recognized April’s Outstanding Staff Member and Student at the regularly scheduled April 26 School Board Meeting.

Dani Rowe, instructional specialist at Pioneer Elementary, was recognized as April’s Outstanding Staff Member of the Month. Fifth-grade Lakeland Hills Elementary student Schmon Otis was named the Outstanding Student of the Month.

Dani Rowe – April Outstanding Staff Member of the Month

ASD's April staff member of the month Dani Rowe — Dani Rowe | ASD

Rowe has worked 22 years in the ASD, all of them spent at Pioneer Middle School. Before teaching in Auburn, she worked in the automotive industry.

Dani loves the relationships and connections she builds with students and families and keeps in contact with former students. One of her former students, an Auburn High School graduate, recently completed her student teaching with Rowe.

Rowe’s colleagues describe her as a positive role model that selflessly serves others. She constantly seeks out more knowledge and research that’ll make her a better teacher. She also mentors students through the ASD Mentor and Mentee program.

Rowe grew up in Washington and graduated from Bethel High School. She began college at 33, graduating from Pacific Lutheran University with a Bachelors in Psychology and K-8 education.

She and her husband Ted live in Auburn. They have four adult children and seven grandchildren. In her free time, she loves to travel, camp in Winthrop with her family, and as of recently, paddleboard.

ASD's April student of the month Schmon Otis — Schmon Otis | ASD

Schmon Otis – April Outstanding Student of the Month

Otis attended Lakeland Hills since kindergarten and showed great leadership and citizenship in each one of those years.

According to several Lakeland Hills staff, Otis is active and engaged in the classroom, both virtually and in person. Principal Colleen Barlow said Otis is kind and inclusive towards all, and always remains a good sport.

Otis’ favorite subject is math because he likes the variety of learning different concepts, from geometry to multiplying fractions. After school, Otis challenges himself by participating in a pre-algebra program.

Outside of school, Otis likes video games and playing outside with friends. He also participates in competitive Amateur Athletic Union Basketball. Before COVID, Otis played flag football and was in the all-school musical.

In the future, he plans to go to college and learn all about cars- he hopes to own a car dealership someday. He currently has his eye on a Dodge Scat Pack on a Charger or Challenger.