January 28, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
Director of Schools Patrick Cripps has announced the 2019-2020 Teachers of the Year at the building level of the five schools in the county.
This year’s honorees are second grade teacher Tiffany Cowart at Smithville Elementary School; fourth grade teacher Debra Poteete at Northside Elementary School; Tonya Ellis, a kindergarten teacher at DeKalb West School; Teresa Jones, a seventh grade math and science teacher at DeKalb Middle School; and Rebecca Miller, a Family and Consumer Science teacher at DeKalb County High School.
“Our district’s Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors outstanding teachers in DeKalb County. We applaud teachers who care about our children, who devote their professional lives to enriching the lives of DeKalb students, and who demonstrate exceptional gains in student achievement. We are not just exceptionally proud of our Teachers of the Year, but we are also grateful for all of our educators in DeKalb County,” said Director Cripps.
According to Michelle Burklow, Supervisor of Instruction, “Competition for the district-wide John Isabell Teacher of the Year award continues through February, and will be announced at DeKalb County’s Teacher of the Year Banquet in the spring. Additionally, three DeKalb County teachers will be chosen by a committee to compete at the regional level in March, and if selected they will represent DeKalb County at the state level competition.”
Teachers of the Year are selected competitively through five cycles: Building, System, Field Service Core Center Region, Grand Division and State; and from three categories (levels of teaching); Grades Pre K-4, 5-8, 9-12.
Teachers selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources. State recognition/awards include a banquet honoring the nine State Teacher of the Year finalists and certificates of appreciation from the governor. In addition, the State Finalists and the State Teacher of the Year receive cash awards.
Dr. Kathy Bryant, Supervisor of Instruction, concludes, “The Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program is designed to promote effective teaching practices by recognizing and rewarding outstanding teachers while encouraging others to join the teaching profession.”