April 13, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
The 2022 DeKalb County School District Teacher of the Year is Amanda Mullinax, a librarian and media specialist at DeKalb West School
Mullinax got a surprise visit to her classroom Tuesday for the “John Isabell Memorial Award” presentation by Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, DeKalb West School Principal Sabrina Farler, Assistant Principal Joey Agee, Supervisor of Instruction Michelle Burklow and Federal Programs Supervisor Dr. Danielle Collins. As part of the honor, Mullinax also received a school bell award, a floral arrangement, dinner gift card, and a certificate granting her a day off from school.
“I am very honored, overwhelmed, and blessed to be acknowledged for what I put into my job because of my students. I love what I do, and I love my students. I try to do the best for them each and every day and I think that is all anybody could be asked to do,” said Mullinax.
“Each year we select a Teacher of the Year from each school, but the “John Isabell Memorial Award” is for the whole district. Ms. Mullinax exemplifies what a teacher is. She loves her students, and they love her. She also has knowledge of the curriculum content and how to get that information across to her students. Ms. Mullinax is not only regarded highly by her students but by her peers as well,” said Director of Schools Patrick Cripps.
“Ms Mullinax shows the love and compassion for every student, every day and it shows in her work. She shows the heart of what a teacher should be and works over 100% every day in her job. She is an amazing lady, mother, spouse, and teacher and it shows in her walk every day,” added DeKalb West School Principal Sabrina Farler.
Mullinax, who is in her 21st year as a career teacher, was among five local educators who were recognized Tuesday for being chosen by peers as “Teacher of the Year” at their schools. The others were Kindergarten teacher Cristy Spears at Smithville Elementary School; 5th grade math and science teacher Sarah Storey at Northside Elementary School; Teresa Jones, a seventh-grade math teacher at DeKalb Middle School; and Gary Caplinger, a CTE residential and commercial construction teacher at DeKalb County High School.
In addition to the visit to Mullinax, Director Cripps and school administrators paid a call on the other four teachers at their schools Tuesday to present their school level “Teacher of the Year awards.
This is the 15th annual Teacher of the Year observance.
Mullinax came to DeKalb West School from the Smith County School District. Her first 11 years were in the classroom, and the past ten years she has served as the librarian at DWS. She has a bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies (K-8), a master’s degree in Library Science, and an Education Specialist Degree in Reading from Tennessee Tech. She worked in the Tech Education Department library during her student teaching and assisted with the library at Union Heights Elementary School in Carthage, where she formerly taught.
Dr. Kathy Bryant, Supervisor of Instruction for Grades 6-12, said the School System Teacher of the Year can choose to compete at the District and Region level with hopes of vying for the state title.
“Teachers are first nominated and voted upon within each school for Teacher of the Year by their peers at the school level. Once a teacher is identified as Teacher of the Year he or she can apply to be District and Region Teacher of the Year and can go from there to the state. That consists of basically selling themselves and talking about everything they have done throughout their whole career to be deserving of Teacher of the Year. Its actually a lot of work. Sometimes we have teachers that do not wish to compete. They are very happy with being Teacher of the Year at their school. Regardless we are proud of our Teachers of the Year and would put them up against anybody but when they are able to compete regionally and at the state level that is big,” said Dr. Bryant.