For more than two decades, Mark Schmidt has been quietly shaping lives, not just test scores. A fifth-grade ELA-E educator at Force Elementary, with the heart of a mentor and the mindset of a coach, Mark believes that confidence is the foundation of learning. He builds his daily routine through structure, humor and deep care for his students.
His impact echoes far beyond the classroom walls. Thanks to the powerful combination of teamwork, passion and high expectations, Mark has been able to bring significant growth and achievement to students, and he makes sure to credit this success to when everyone is investing in the process. These students showed 86% growth in CMAS ELA and 84.5% growth in CMAS math during the 2024-25 school year.
What grade do you teach and how long have you been teaching?
I taught fifth grade in DPS for 20 years, altogether 25 years.
How do you strive to impact students’ learning experiences?
The main thing is to motivate students, build confidence and their ability.
Last year at Force Elementary was the “perfect storm” of circumstances and they all came together so students could be successful; I still can’t believe what happened. It really was a collective effort between teachers and the support of para-educators that made it all happen. It was a team effort that created a learning environment that was supportive of each other, which ultimately fostered student achievement.
These were still students who were affected by COVID and even though it was a challenge to help them excel, the support I received from parents was so significant last year, students were bound to achieve greatness.
How do you define student success?
Success is hard to define. You notice it when they come back from the next grade and tell me how successful they are in their current grade. When they return from sixth grade, middle school, high school or college, that’s when I know that my work has been successful.
I have had several students, including one who has moved forward to now attending the Colorado School of Mines and the University of Denver, and she wrote about me in a story in high school, stating that I cannot leave teaching.
I came from a Fortune 500 company. This industry shaped my work ethic early and the desire to be highly productive. If I can motivate students to be hard workers, I feel they can do anything they set their mind to doing.
Lastly, I wouldn’t be successful without the collaboration and support of my colleagues. They have put just as much effort and time into accomplishing the results I experience. Colleagues like Bridget McKee, Raquel Meza, Citlally Flores and the following below resulted in great success for the 2024-25 school year:
Stephanie Croan, fourth grade teacher – Stephanie has always engaged her students deeply, preparing them to become focused learners who feel confident and successful, and when they move into fifth grade, they are ready to hit the ground running toward junior high school.
Stephanie states, “Mr. Schmidt is committed to his students, past, present and future. He helps them set high expectations for themselves and holds them accountable to reach their goals. He goes above and beyond, giving of his time and resources, to ensure his students have every opportunity for future sustainable success. I have always enjoyed seeing the growth my students make with Mr. Schmidt and I count myself blessed to work alongside him.”
Verona Medina, paraprofessional – I can’t say enough about Verona. We worked together like a well-oiled machine, talking things out, sharing what we see and always helping students perform at their best, giving them the tools and mindset needed to succeed at every turn.
Verona speaks toward collaborating with Mark, “Mark and I have worked together for five years and it has been a great experience. Mark is a great teacher. He always includes me in classroom decisions, respects my ideas and allows me to work with the students to help them to do their best. Our main focus is the students and getting them prepared for their ongoing education. I have learned a lot from Mark and have truly enjoyed working with him.”
Valerie Burke, former principal – Valerie trusted my ability and supported me fully. She gave me the space and confidence to do what I needed for my students to be successful and demonstrate their learning on the state assessments.
Valerie says, “Mark is a dedicated educator. He is committed to the success of his students. I am glad to see he is being recognized for his hard work.”
What are your secrets to student success? Can you give an example?
The desire to do well. It is so important that students feel successful and cared for early so they feel comfortable and confident in their abilities, and this is accomplished by being approachable all the time.
Getting conditioned to where their discipline is developed. Students need to understand there are rules and guidelines in the classroom and that a teacher will correct their behavior, but it’s for the good of the class and for them, so learning can continue.
They are used to rituals and routines, know how to move around and can work well with others. This is important because students need a steadiness to their day so they know what is expected of them, and yes, there may be some changes, but for the most part their day will basically be the same day in and day out.
They have to have fun while they do their work! We need to make their learning engaging and fun, and how I do this is by making it fun for me. If I can make it fun and interject a human element and humor throughout the day, they too will enjoy coming back for more.
What advice do you have for fellow educators who want to support their students' growth and development?
I have a “star chart” that motivates students to attend school and to work hard. After 50 stars, they earn an extrinsic reward of their choosing.
If you see something that is working for someone else, grab on to it, use it and modify it into something that works for you. Ask for help if you need help, even if it’s just to brainstorm an idea you already know will work. Create a space every day where students feel comfortable to talk about whatever is on their minds, how they are processing learning and how they are feeling. It is so important that students feel valued and comfortable, because learning new things can be difficult.
This year, we are launching a new campaign where we replace the word “Public” in Denver Public Schools with five empowering adjectives — Passionate, Personalized, Powerful, Prestigious and Proud — to highlight what makes DPS amazing. Which one resonates with you the most and why?
The word “Passionate” resonates with me most. DPS is defined by its people, and the passion they carry — for students, for community, for diversity and for equity — is the heartbeat that drives lasting, meaningful change.
At Force Elementary, I see that passion in every corner of the building. I see it in the gentle encouragement offered to a child trying again, in the quiet patience shown during hard moments and in the laughter shared after long days and in the unspoken belief that every student is worth our very best.
That shared passion feels like home. It’s a warmth you can feel before anyone even speaks — a sense of belonging that settles into your chest and reminds you that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be. The people I work alongside don’t just inspire me, they steady me, challenge me and we support each other with a care that goes far beyond simple teamwork. I love them like family — not because we share the same stories, but because we share the same heart for this work and for each other.
Being part of this community fills me with gratitude and purpose. Their commitment — caring, persistent and unwavering — fuels me every day. It shapes who I am, reminds me why I serve and makes me proud to love who I work with and what I do — and yes, we sometimes laugh when things get a little messy, too.