Board names Dailey as Teacher of the Year

Published 3:29 pm Saturday, April 4, 2026

Niki Dailey, a 4th grade co-teacher at Freedom Elementary, was recognized for being named the Waynesville R-VI 2025-26 Teacher of the Year during the Waynesville R-VI Board of Education meeting on March 23, 2026.

Her classroom serves as a model for effective co-teaching in an elementary school. Dailey has presented on co-teaching at the Innovation Summit Conference where she will return for a third consecutive year this summer. She also represents Waynesville Schools as a member of the SRSN Personalized Competency-Based Learning Master Teacher Cadre.

Waynesville R-VI’s District Professional Development Committee designed and implemented the selection process for the Teacher of the Year. Dailey will represent Waynesville in the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Regional Teacher of the Year process over the summer. The regional winner will represent the region in the Missouri Teacher of the Year process.