Lexington, SC - Lexington County School District One’s 30 schools each chose one teacher to represent them in the 2016–2017 Teacher of the Year process. Those honorees are Carolina Springs Elementary First-Grade Teacher Brittany Talwin; Carolina Springs Middle German Teacher Myriam Grandjean; Deerfield Elementary School Art Teacher Robin Orlick; Forts Pond Elementary Resource Teacher Jessie Maggio; Gilbert Elementary Physical Education Teacher Jill Strainer; Gilbert High Resource Teacher Teresa Johnson; Gilbert Middle Spanish Teacher Susan Cascante Fifer; Gilbert Primary Second-Grade Teacher Marlee Pepper; Lake Murray Elementary Fourth-Grade Teacher Kim Nunnery; Lexington Elementary First-Grade Teacher Jamie Hudson; Lexington High Mathematics Teacher Angie Freeman; Lexington Middle Seventh-Grade English Teacher Ivey Homer; Lexington Technology Center Engineering Teacher Stephen Avila; Meadow Glen Elementary First-Grade Teacher Perry Troutman; Meadow Glen Middle Eighth-Grade Science Teacher Paul Berrian; Midway Elementary Physical Education Teacher Laura Gates; New Providence Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Rhonda Smith; Oak Grove Elementary Teacher Fifth-Grade Teacher Colleen Graffte; Pelion Elementary 4-Year-Old Kindergarten Teacher Kimberly Kneece; Pelion High English Teacher Will Washburn; Pelion Middle Seventh-Grade Social Studies Teacher Corey Metts Bedenbaugh; Pleasant Hill Elementary Art Teacher Anna Degtyareva; Pleasant Hill Middle Art Teacher Joanna Alford; Red Bank Elementary Second-Grade Teacher Jennifer Denny; River Bluff High Science Teacher Amy Price; Rocky Creek Elementary Fourth-Grade Teacher Emily Kimpton; Saxe Gotha Elementary First-Grade Teacher Erin Gagnon; White Knoll Elementary Resource Teacher Erin Bradberry; White Knoll High Mathematics Teacher Jay Sydow and White Knoll Middle Special Education Teacher Lisa Hartman.
These teachers have the respect and admiration of students, parents and co-workers; play active roles in their communities and schools; distinguish themselves as leaders; demonstrate a willingness to devote time and energy to activities which result in improved instruction for children; demonstrate a desire to keep abreast of current educational theories and practices through continued staff development and by attending workshops and seminars in their particular areas; demonstrate the ability and willingness to make contributions to the field of education by conducting seminars and workshops and by being involved in training and assisting fellow teachers in their professional development; show examples of innovative practices in their classrooms; are poised and articulate; possess the energy and equanimity to execute a busy schedule; and possess a superior ability to impart knowledge to and inspire students to be life-long learners.
How does this process work?
In September, certified staff at each Lexington One school chose a Teacher of the Year to represent their school in the 2016–2017 Teacher of the Year process, to serve on the district’s Teacher Forum for two years and to represent their schools on the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council for one year.
These school-level teachers of the year will complete written applications, which will be read by teams of judges. The applications with the top 10 scores will be judged by yet another team of judges. Until, finally, five Lexington One teachers will be named finalists for the title of District Teacher of the Year.
Those five finalists will face still another panel of judges as they will spend a day in interviews and another day being observed by the judges as they teach.
The 7 p.m. celebration of all the district’s Teachers of the Year and the announcement of the district’s new District Teacher of the Year takes place Thursday, April 6, 2017, at the Lexington One Performing Arts Center located on the campus of Lexington High School.
