Tuesday, Mar. 12 2013 3:50PM

Duane Fleck named Prairie Chapter DAR Teacher of the Year

Duane Fleck, history teacher at Lee’s Summit High School, was named the Prairie Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution Teacher of the Year in a ceremony held Feb. 9 in Lee’s Summit.

A teacher at LSHS for 19 years, Fleck previously taught adult education classes in technology in Lawrence, Kan. At LSHS, he has taught American history, Advanced Placement European history, current events, International Baccalaureate History of the Americas and world history. In addition, he works with a special-education specialist to offer a Class-Within-a-Class history class for special-needs students.

Within the R-7 School District, Fleck has served on the district’s Professional Development Committee and worked as a mentor for student teachers. He worked on the Missouri Show-Me Standards state assessment in 1998 and received a third-place award from the Kansas City Star’s Teacher of the Year program.

Fleck has presented papers for the Missouri National Council of the Social Studies and the American Educational Research Association and has also received several federal and local grants related to history and instructional technology.

In 2003, Fleck initiated an after-school historical game club, known as the Organization of Strategic Gaming, that evolved into the Recruits Wargaming Convention, held two times each year at LSHS for people interested in historical games and research. In fall 2012, more than 500 people from throughout the Midwest attended the 20th show.

Fleck earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology, broadcasting and history from the University of Nebraska and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Kansas.