Cane Run Elementary Teacher Wins ExCEL Award

Meghann Clem Mattingly, a health and wellness teacher at Cane Run Elementary School, has been awarded the Excellence in Classroom and Educational Leadership (ExCEL) Award. Representatives from Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) and from the award sponsors — LG&E KU and WHAS11 — honored the teacher last week during a ceremony at the school.

“Visiting Ms. Clem Mattingly’s classroom is a relaxing and rewarding experience,” said Cane Run Principal Kimberly Coslow. “Her creative teaching techniques enhance classroom learning, and she fosters academic success through mindful movement, self-regulation and focused attention, all through the lens of compassion.”

A leader with the Compassionate Schools Project (CSP) Professional Learning Community, she frequently collaborates with the University of Virginia’s CSP project director as well as the District’s CSP resource teacher and the school’s physical education teachers to ensure the unique CSP curriculum is implemented with fidelity. She has been featured in numerous national media outlets advocating for the project, including National Public Radio and the Christian Science Monitor.

“Meghann is a force to be dealt with,” said Heather Watson, a counselor with JCPS. “She exudes positive energy and calmness throughout the building. She is the compassionate vision of what we need to have in place for our students to thrive in life.”

In addition, she is a strong advocate for the school, serving as a member of the Site Based Decision Making Council, the Instructional Leadership Team and the Interview Committee, and regularly meeting with guests and community leaders about the CSP and its impact on her students. She is also the school lead for the American Heart Association fundraising initiative.

As an ExCEL Award winner, Clem Mattingly will receive a $1,000 instructional grant from LG&E KU.