Last month, a sudden eruption of cheers confirmed the big news, Special Education Teacher Jacqueline Hopper was named a National Heritage Academies® (NHA®) Excellence in Teaching 2025-26 award winner.
As part of the NHA network, Landmark Academy at Reunion in Colorado, maintains a high bar for instructional excellence. Pulling off an honor of this caliber takes immense dedication, but pulling off the surprise celebration required a village of masterful secret-keepers.
The Great Assembly Ambush
To say Hopper was blindsided by the announcement would be an understatement. Under the guise of a routine school-wide gathering, staff and students snuck in banners, balloons, and a few VIP guests.
Principal Kelly Meyering kicked off the assembly by discussing the award process, but the real magic happened when she invited two specific students up to present the winner.
"My students were the ones who walked up. So, I was like, ‘What is going on?’ I just felt like my whole body was shaking as I went up. So, it was so cool," Hopper recalled. "And then, my husband had made a little slideshow of all of our family and old co-workers, just saying congratulations. It was one of those moments I’m never going to forget, once in a lifetime."
The secret had been tightly guarded for two weeks. Hopper’s husband had secretly flown her parents in from Florida and coordinated with her daughter, while her son was kept in the dark until the deans pulled him from class that morning.
A Passion Rooted in Advocacy
Long before winning the Excellence in Teaching award, Hopper felt a distinct calling to special education, driven by a desire to make the world a more accessible place for those facing unique learning barriers.
"I think I always knew I wanted to be a special education teacher. When I thought about teaching, it was always in special ed.," Hopper shared. "Growing up, we had some family members who had some struggles, and I noticed the educational challenges they faced. It shouldn't be such a process. The advocacy behind it is kind of what drew me into special education."
After moving to Colorado, Hopper’s connection to Landmark began from a parent's perspective. Looking for a school where her daughter would shine, they joined the waiting list and got in just days before the school year started.
"I saw what a community it was. It always just felt like a family here. It never felt like a big organization where she was going to get lost," Hopper said.
Later, when her son started kindergarten, she stepped back into the classroom as a substitute.
“My career just grew and grew with my love for the school. So now here we are, and I'm so glad to be part of the Landmark family."
High Standards and Shared Triumphs
In her classroom, Hopper balances rigorous growth with compassion, a teaching style she relates to a concept she explored during professional development over the summer.
"A colleague and I had done some training over the summer last year. There was this whole section on a teaching style they called a ‘warm demander’. We thought that was such an interesting way to phrase it. But I feel like we have a lot of teachers like that here. I feel that way too, where I have really high expectations for all my kids," Hopper explained. "Just because they're here in special education for behavior or for academics, that doesn't change that I want them to succeed and grow and set high standards. I want them to know that I am here for them, and they can come to me. I want them to know this is a safe place."
That safe space paid off in a massive way this year. When working through some behavioral challenges with a student, Hopper leaned on Landmark's tight-knit team of educators, speech pathologists, and specialists. By the end of the year, the student was completely thriving in class.
Reflecting on that victory, Hopper notes how she guides her students through the tough moments.
"You just have to buckle down a little bit. It's hard right now, but we can do it."
Redefining with Moral Focus™
A hallmark of the NHA framework is the organization’s Moral Focus™ curriculum, which highlights character virtues such as integrity, compassion, and perseverance. Hopper has flipped the script on traditional assumptions by ensuring her special education students are right at the center of these celebrations.
"Last year, I started keeping track of all of my kids who earned Moral Focus™ awards. And I was so proud of them. There can be a stigma that maybe our students who have behavioral or academic challenges can't earn these awards, but they totally can," Hopper said. "And two years in a row now I've had 90% of my students get one of the awards at our assemblies and they are so excited; their parents are so thrilled."
Leaving a Legacy of Authenticity
When the school day ends, Hopper preserves her energy for her students by finding fun ways to unwind, joking that Friday nights are strictly designated reality TV time.
As an NHA Excellence in Teaching winner, her impact on Landmark is undeniable, but the legacy she hopes to leave behind is beautifully simple.
"I hope all the kids walk away knowing that it's OK to be yourself. Bringing yourself to the table is the best thing you can bring," Hopper shared. "I want them all to walk away knowing it's OK to do things your way and to go on your own path in life."
Congratulations, Jacqueline! Thank you for all you do for your students and the Landmark community!
About Landmark Academy at Reunion
Landmark Academy at Reunion is a tuition-free, public charter school in Commerce City, Colorado, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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