Kathlyn “Kathy” Scott was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Cyril and Mildred Barnes and grew up in Wisconsin and Iowa. Kathy was raised in a family dedicated to education, with her mother, father, uncles, aunts, cousins, and even her own children all contributing to this foundation. This strong emphasis on education inspired Kathy to pursue her own career in teaching and discover the beautiful art of educating others.

Following graduation from the University of Dubuque (Iowa) with a BA in Secondary Education (Spanish and English) in 1972, Kathy began her teaching career at Lisle High School in Lisle, IL. Later, Kathy and her family moved to Fargo, where she taught Spanish at Oak Grove Lutheran School before joining the West Fargo School District in 1990. Kathy’s involvement at West Fargo High School extended beyond teaching Spanish for 16 years. She was the advisor for foreign exchange students, mentored service-learning students, assisted in the application of new curriculum, incorporated technology to enhance student learning, and led intercultural student experiences to Costa Rica. As her students can attest, Kathy was dedicated to teaching the importance of leadership and service to others. This commitment was evident through her participation in and accompanying students to a leadership camp in Clinton, New York, as well as a Pay It Forward service-learning tour through Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

For her dedication to educational excellence, Kathy has been recognized with several awards and honors. Among these are West Fargo District Teacher of the Year 1998-1999, State Finalist for North Dakota State Teacher of the Year 1998-1999, Sam’s Club Teacher of the Year in 1999, Disney’s Teacher Award Nominee in 2002, NDEA Outstanding Educational Leadership Award 2004-2005, and Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers 1990-2006. In addition to teaching students, Kathy actively contributed to the development of her fellow teachers at West Fargo and throughout the state of North Dakota. She co-led the New Teacher Mentorship Program, chaired the Instructional/Professional Development Committee, served on the North Central Accreditation Steering Committee, was part of the North Dakota Foreign Language Standards Alignment Committee, and was the West Fargo Foreign Languages Department chair.

After completing her MS in Curriculum and Instruction at Minnesota State University-Moorhead in 2000, Kathy played a key role in curriculum development and implementation. She introduced the 4MAT teaching methodology in West Fargo and served as a professional development trainer for district teachers. Upon retiring from teaching at West Fargo High School in 2006, Kathy became the Secondary Curriculum Coordinator for grades 6-12 in West Fargo and worked as a consultant for About Learning, the creators of the 4MAT teaching methodology. From 2007-2008, she also taught Curriculum and Instruction at Minnesota State University-Moorhead and collaborated with individuals from NDSU in the English and Education Departments to assist the district in guiding continuous improvements. Kathy officially retired from her education career in 2012.

Kathy has remained an active part of her community through volunteering as a mentor for new Americans, helping to develop a school collaboration with Great Plains Food Bank, volunteering with local organizations, and writing grants for an artist-in-residence program and a children’s theatre. An avid traveler, Kathy has visited 45 states and over 20 countries. In retirement, she continues to enjoy traveling and spending time with her husband, children, and six grandchildren.