Kevin Kiley: “In the spirit of National Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to recognize Mrs. Brandy Rost, an…”

“In the spirit of National Teacher Appreciation Week, I wish to take a moment to recognize Mrs. Brandy Rost, an outstanding middle school math educator in California's Third Congressional District. During her 29 years of dedicated service to the Lone Pine Unified School District, she has taught thousands of students, transforming their view of math from an intimidating subject to one that is exciting and achievable. Mrs. Rost is known for her creative instructional style, integrating hands-on activities, technologies, and real-world applications, instilling engagement from students and empowering every student to succeed. Perhaps most remarkable is the academic transformation Mrs. Rost has led since the COVID pandemic. In the wake of prolonged school closures, Lo-Inyo Elementary School saw its math scores drop to new lows with just 20 percent of students meeting or exceeding standards. Recognizing this challenge, Mrs. Rost spearheaded an extraordinary resolve. She retooled her instruction, built targeted interventions, and created a classroom culture where growth in math became not just a goal but an expectation. Each year since the pandemic, her students' performance climbed significantly. In the most recent testing, over 70 percent of her students met or exceeded the math standard; a score that doesn't just surpass local benchmarks but also substantially outperforms the State average. The story of Mrs. Brandy Rost is one of resilience, excellence, and impact.…”