The Aiken County Public School District announced its 2019-20 Teachers of the Year and 2018-19 Giving Even More (GEM) award winners.
“During a school year in which we are collectively honoring the teaching profession through the #WhyITeach Campaign, it is especially rewarding to me personally to announce our latest group of outstanding educators,” Aiken County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sean Alford said. “They stand alongside a tremendous representative group of ONE TEAM employees who always give their best each day in dedicated service to their schools and school families.”
Aiken County Public Schools 2019-20 Teacher of the Year candidates and school-level winners are as follows: Kortney Garrett, Aiken County Career and Technology Center; Chevonne Slack, Aiken Elementary School; Tonya Moton, Aiken High School; Tracy Finch, Aiken Middle School; Josh Hobbs, Aiken Performing Arts Academy/Lloyd Kennedy Charter School; Sharonda Jacobs, Aiken Scholars Academy; Tabatha Younts, Belvedere Elementary School; Tara Sanders-Davis, A.L. Corbett Middle School; Melesia Farkas, Busbee Elementary; Stacy Mayson, Byrd Elementary School; Kimberly Gracey, Center for Innovative Learning; Carrie Lucas, Chukker Creek Elementary School; Crystal Oerman, Clearwater Elementary School; Ansley Shuford, East Aiken School of the Arts; Jeanine Scott, Gloverville Elementary School; Carol Hayes, Greendale Elementary School; Jessica Nealious, Hammond Hill Elementary School; Jennifer Perkins, Horse Creek Academy; Louise Dent, J.D. Lever Elementary School; Ophelia Mixon, Jackson STEM Middle School; Christine Hair, Jefferson Elementary School; Sally Jenkins, Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle School; Jennifer McMillian, Leavelle McCampbell Middle School; Michelle King, Kennedy Middle School; Russell Saunders, Midland Valley High School; Alex Gomez, Millbrook Elementary School; Melinda Bradley, Mossy Creek Elementary School; Scott Sutherland, New Ellenton Middle STEAM Magnet School; Sabrina Amos, North Aiken Elementary School; April Benson, North Augusta Elementary School; Elizabeth Wright, North Augusta High School; Ann Cohen, North Augusta Middle School; Stacey Waugh, Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School; Megan Cooper, Paul Knox Middle School; Kayce Buchanan, Redcliffe Elementary School; Gayle Wilson, Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary School; Cayce Spire, Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle School; Joseph Middlebrooks, Ridge Spring-Monetta High School; Alexis Beachum Leasure, Schofield Middle School; Brad Johnson, Silver Bluff High School; Joan Grief, South Aiken High School; Desiree Pernell, Warrenville Elementary School; and Melissa Bauers, Wagener-Salley High School.
Aiken County Public Schools 2018-19 Giving Even More Award candidates and school-level winners are as follows:
Denise Smith, Aiken County Career and Technology Center; Gina Kirkland, Aiken Elementary School; LuAnn Phillips, Aiken High School; Tamara Perry, Aiken Middle School; Christin Hughes, Aiken Performing Arts Academy/Lloyd Kennedy Charter School; Frances Spradley, Aiken Scholars Academy; Phaedraw Holtzclaw, Belvedere Elementary School; Paulette Maclure, A.L. Corbett Middle School; Quinton Friday, Busbee Elementary; Dorothy McGhee, Byrd Elementary School; Tara Moody, Center for Innovative Learning; Susan Hilderbrand, Chukker Creek Elementary School; Michelle Scott, Clearwater Elementary School; Deloris Brown, Division of Administration/Superintendent; Paula Ehlers, Division of Instruction; Chastity Washington, Division of Finance; Scott Rose, Division of Operations and Student Services; Stephanie Redd, East Aiken School of the Arts; Beth Kelley, Freedman Early Learning Center; Deborah Simmons, Gloverville Elementary School; Miranda Weeks, Greendale Elementary School; Susan Jones, Hammond Hill Elementary School; Reagen Pender, Horse Creek Academy; Gwen Owens, J.D. Lever Elementary School; Sandra Jones, Jackson STEM Middle School; Bonnie Fulgham, Jefferson Elementary School; Kim Jackson, Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle School; Michelle Bush, Leavelle McCampbell Middle School; Contina Hall, Kennedy Middle School; Pamela Meyer, Midland Valley High School; Cindy Abshire, Millbrook Elementary School; Randi Mitchell, Mossy Creek Elementary School; Sarah Kessing, New Ellenton Middle STEAM Magnet School; Linda Bright, North Aiken Elementary School; Thea Brooks, North Augusta Elementary School; Gerald Thompson, North Augusta High School; Felicia Gary, North Augusta Middle School; Phyllis Maclay, Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School; Sarah Padgett, Paul Knox Middle School; Cheryl Montalbano, Redcliffe Elementary School; Candy Barnes, Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary School; Patricia Tyler, Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle School; Angela Rodgers, Ridge Spring-Monetta High School; Rebecca Pleming, Schofield Middle School; Douglas Bates, Silver Bluff High School; Tracy Greene, South Aiken High School; Karen Manor, Warrenville Elementary School; and Reginald Corley, Wagener-Salley High School.
Teacher of the Year honorees in Aiken County Public Schools are nominated by their peers and selected by each school’s Teacher of the Year Selection Committee, a group including, at a minimum, a member of the administrative team and the school’s current Teacher of the Year.
Giving Even More candidates are selected at each school and the district office, with administration and the school’s prior GEM winner participating in a GEM Selection Committee.
During the selection of their school’s Teacher of the Year and Giving Even More candidate, committee members use a scoring sheet, assigning varying numbers of points for such related items as educational history, professional development, community involvement, teaching philosophy, efforts to strengthen their profession and the number of nominations the candidate received.
An Honor Court of candidates in the running for District Teacher of the Year and GEM of the Year, respectively, will be announced between March 25 and April 5.
Read the full Aiken Standard article HERE.