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CONTACT: Meghan
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404-463-4246
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and #GATOTY20.
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here for photos.
May
18, 2019 – Tracey
Pendley, a fourth-grade teacher at Burgess Peterson Academy in Atlanta Public
Schools, is the 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year, State School Superintendent
Richard Woods announced tonight. As Georgia Teacher of the Year, Pendley will
serve as an advocate for public education in Georgia.
Pendley
graduated from Furman University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology
and religion and completed a master’s in teaching in 2009 through the University
of Chicago’s Urban Teacher Education Program. She has been a classroom teacher
in Atlanta Public Schools since 2012; prior to that, she taught in the Chicago
Public Schools.
“Tracey
Pendley was a child who benefited deeply and irreversibly from her own
education, and she chose to pay that forward to her own students,”
Superintendent Woods said. “The passion and joy she brings to her classroom are
inspiring, and her focus is right where it belongs: on the relationships with
students that serve as the foundation of all meaningful learning, development,
and growth. I am honored to name her the 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year.”
As
a child, Pendley found hope in her education, and describes her own life as
“the story of the impact that great Georgia educators have on students.”
“As
I attended nine different schools and managed the uncertainties of life with a
single parent who was an addict, my teachers provided the stability and
encouragement that my twin brother and I needed,” she said. “I had several superhero
teachers who showed me what a huge impact an engaging, loving, and trust-filled
education has on a child’s life. Our teachers were our cheerleaders, our role
models, and sometimes, even our caretakers.”
While
a student at Furman University, Pendley took over management of the Clubhouse
Gang, an afterschool program for students in underserved neighborhoods. Along
with volunteers, she met with students twice a week to mentor them and help
with homework. After college, she initially began work on a PhD in sociology,
but realized that she belonged in the field, with students.
“When
students leave my classroom, I want them to know that they are loved, uniquely
talented, and that learning from their mistakes is the key to becoming
successful,” Pendley said. “I never want students to be held back by the
numbers they receive on papers, but rather, I want students to know that their
growth is what matters – growth as a confident individual with integrity,
growth in their relationships, and growth in their academic abilities.”
As
Georgia Teacher of the Year, Pendley will represent Georgia teachers by
speaking to the public about the teaching profession and potentially conducting
workshops and programs for educators. She will also participate in the competitive
selection process for the 2020 National Teacher of the Year.
Click
here to learn more about Georgia’s Teacher of the Year program.
2020
Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists*
Tracey
Pendley, 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year, Burgess Peterson
Academy, Atlanta Public Schools
Stephanie
Peterson, 2020 Runner-Up, Westside Elementary School, Lowndes
County Schools
Kristen
Applebee, Georgia Academy for the Blind, State Schools
Amy
Arnold, Colham Ferry Elementary School, Oconee County Schools
Dr.
David Bishop Collins, Fernbank Science Center, DeKalb County Schools
Carlos
Hernandez, General Ray Davis Middle School, Rockdale County Schools
Lewis
Kelly, Newton High School, Newton County Schools
Kiana
Pinckney, Palmetto Elementary School, Fulton County Schools
Teresa
Thompson, South Tattnall Middle School, Tattnall County Schools
Francisco
“Frank” Zamora, Johnson High School, Hall County Schools
*Other
than the Teacher of the Year and Runner-Up, finalists are listed in
alphabetical order by last name.
