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CONTACT:
Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org
Keisha Ford-Jenrette, Phone:
(404) 657-2949, kford@gadoe.org
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April 7, 2014
-- State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge today announced the finalists for
2015 Georgia Teacher of the Year.
The 10
finalists were chosen from a pool of 156 applicants who were selected as the
Teacher of the Year in their representative school districts. The applications
were read by a panel of judges that included current and former classroom
teachers, past Georgia Teacher of the Year winners and finalists,
administrators, community leaders and others. The finalists were chosen based
on the strength of their essay responses.
"I congratulate our ten Georgia Teacher of the Year finalists and those
who applied,” Superintendent Barge said. “As usual, we had a very impressive
group of teachers make the top ten. I look forward to working with all of them
to help continue the student achievement gains our schools are showing.”
Over the next several weeks, a panel of judges will conduct video observations
and interview each of the finalists. The finalists will also give a speech at a
luncheon sponsored by Georgia Power in April. The winner will be announced at
the Georgia Teacher of the Year conference during the banquet on May 16, 2014,
at the Georgia International Convention Center. The banquet, paid for through
donations from sponsors, will honor each local district Teacher of the Year. A
reception hosted by United Healthcare will be held prior to the banquet.
The 2015 Georgia Teacher of the Year will travel around the state and the
nation, serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession. The winner will
also be entered in the National Teacher of the Year competition.
The 2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year is Mrs. Jemelleh Coes, a Special Education
English Language Arts and Reading teacher from Langston Chapel Middle School in
Statesboro. To learn more about Mrs. Coes and the Teacher of the Year program,
click here:
http://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Excellence-Recognition/Pages/Georgia-Teacher-of-the-Year-Program.aspx
2015 Georgia Teacher of
the Year Finalists
(in alphabetical order by district)
Teacher, Subject, System, School
Rita L. Simmons,
Gifted K-5
Atlanta
Public Schools, Cleveland Avenue Elementary
Rhonda Lokey, Sixth Grade Social Studies
Cobb County, Campbell Middle
Dr. Lyn Schenbeck,
Film/Video Music, Business in Arts, Music in Medicine, String and Vocals
Coweta County, Central Educational Center
Michelle
Peace, Spanish
I, II, III
Early County,
Early County High
Sarah Ballew Welch,
English, Oral/Written Communications and British Literature
Fannin County, Fannin County High
Nick C. Crowder,
Engineering Education
Forsyth
County, South Forsyth High
Hyunjin Son,
Physics and Foundations of Engineering & Technology
Gwinnett County, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology
Paul D. Mixon,
Journalism and Economics
Heard County, Heard County High
Amanda Miliner,
Fourth Grade
Houston County, Miller Elementary
Marc Pedersen, Biology, Biotechnology and Chemistry
Paulding
County, Paulding County High
The Georgia Teacher of the Year Program is sponsored by United Healthcare.
