One teacher helped build a school from the ground up. The other is lauded as an inspiration to her colleagues.

Skip Bennett, social studies teacher at Southwest Junior High School, and Terri Durgan, fourth-grade teacher at Quail Run School, are this year’s recipients of the Educator of the Year awards from the Lawrence Schools Foundation.

Each teacher received a $1,000 cash award for the honor, which is given annually to educators nominated by students, parents or colleagues.

“The letters from parents and colleagues on both of these teachers were very, very impressive,” said Susan Esau, executive director of the foundation. “You can’t help but see what they saw in these teachers. They were very deserving.”

Durgan joined the Lawrence district in 1995 after teaching for nearly a decade in Maine. She has a bachelor’s degree from Kansas University and master’s degrees from KU and the University of Maine.

Linda Williams, also a teacher at Quail Run, said Durgan has been key in helping develop alternative ways to gauge student learning for the school’s fourth-graders.

“She just added another dimension as far as assessment,” Williams said. “She’s really in tune to students and students’ needs.”

Tom Christie, the district’s executive director of educational programming, called Durgan an inspiration.

“Her capabilities as a classroom teacher and teacher leader have been an inspiration to all those who work with her,” he said.

Bennett taught in Gardner-Edgerton schools before joining the Lawrence district in 1991. He has taught at South and Southwest junior highs and coached football, track and basketball.

He has bachelor’s degrees from KU and Pittsburg State University.

Southwest Junior High Principal Trish Bransky said Bennett was among the teachers who helped build the traditions and “student-centered” environment at Southwest, which opened in 1995.

“He’s a person who cares a lot about every single one of his kids,” Bransky said.

The award, traditionally given to one teacher, was expanded this year to two educators and will continue to honor two each year.