Kimberly High students aspire to be added to Kevin Janota’s cutting-edge roster--so much so that there’s a waiting list to get into his class. And the lucky ones who snag spots? They’ll get to experience all of the transformative strategies Janota uses both inside and out of his classroom.
Collegiate in his approach, Janota utilizes a tiered learning strategy, in which courses build on one another and connect from class to class. Advanced and challenging, his classes have real-world applications and involve parents. Special projects include computer-aided drafting, mechanical design and a super mileage vehicle project, in which student teams craft a Rube Goldberg machine and an energy-efficient vehicle. Janota’s self-built rubrics gauge student progress, and his partnerships with local companies translate into meaningful school-to-work opportunities.
Kimberly High students test well and best the state average by at least 14 percent in every tested subject. Janota’s efforts undoubtedly contribute to its success. One of his former students received national recognition for packaging design and credits Janota with laying the foundation for that achievement.
Janota is a member of the Teaching for Understanding Committee, is teacher leader of the Grading and Assessment Team, and serves on district committees across content areas. He also mentors at area schools that are just starting to participate in tech competitions.
