PORTSMOUTH – Middle school counselor Kyle Spaltholz became the first educator from the town's school department to receive the prestigious Milken Educator Award Thursday morning, earning a $25,000 unrestricted cash prize during what he thought was a routine assembly.
"I’m blown away," Spaltholz said. "We were told we were being recognized for our Positive Behavior Intervention and Support program." He said the assembly shifted to talking about the Milken awards and recognizing someone working at the school. "I started going through everyone I knew, wondering who it could be," he said. The moment his name came up, and his shocked reaction has been captured on video, much to the delight of his co-workers.
Considered the "Oscars of Teaching," the Milken Awards have no formal application process. Outstanding K-12 educators are identified while early to mid-career for their achievements and future potential.
"It’s really a testament to hard work of everyone here," Spaltholz, a seventh and eighth grade counselor at Portsmouth Middle School, said. "I've worked with everyone in this building at some level and just so proud of all of them."
Spaltholz, who serves as seventh and eighth grade counselor at Portsmoth Middle School, was recognized for his innovative leadership in student support and school-wide initiatives. He led the implementation of the Recognized American School Counselor Association Model Program, aligning K-12 counseling practices to national standards, and spearheaded the rollout of personalized learning technologies.
"Spaltholz's boundless leadership, resourcefulness, and genuine passion for supporting others elevates everything he does," said Dr. Jane Foley, senior vice president of Milken Educator Awards and a 1994 recipient. "Whether he is teaching, coaching, or counseling, Portsmouth's students are fortunate to have his guidance as they transition to high school."
A former English language arts teacher, Spaltholz is Rhode Island's 85th recipient since the state joined the program in 1990. He has become a trusted resource for colleagues on technology integration, curriculum development and data interpretation. Spaltholz co-authored the district's response to intervention handbook, helped develop the school's multitiered system of supports framework and crafted curriculum for the college and career readiness class "21st Century Skills."
Supporting students with challenges outside academics, Spaltholz created Anchored4Life, a peer-to-peer club helping students navigate life changes related to Portsmouth's large military population. He founded the school's Minecraft for Education club and co-facilitates the social justice club.
"Over his tenure at Portsmouth Middle School, Kyle has earned the trust of both his students and his colleagues because of his solution-oriented, student-first approach," said R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, who led the surprise assembly. "He represents the very best of Rhode Island educators."
Spaltholz said he has not yet come to any decision on what he will do with the prize money. "I'm still taking it in and processing. I'll have to sit down and think about it."
The Milken Educator Awards came about in 1987 when Lowell Milken, the chairman and co-founder of the Milken Family Foundation, began exploring ways to better support those in the education profession. The awards have distributed more than $76 million in prizes since then, with over $146 million invested in the network overall. Recipients will attend an all-expenses-paid forum in Washington, D.C., from June 12-14, and receive mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles in education practice and policy.
(UPDATE: Adds comment from Spaltholz in 2nd, 4th, and 11th paragraphs)
Veer Mudambi is the Special Projects Editor for the Providence Business News. He can be reached at mudambi@pbn.com.
