By Chris McCarthy/Editor
Forty-three educators from area schools were recognized at the 2012 Gadsden-Etowah County Teachers of the Year Banquet last Wednesday (May 2) at the Senior Activity Center in Gadsden.
Gadsden City Schools Special Projects and Transition Coordinator Don Campbell noted that in many instances the educators accomplished their goals with less than adequate means.
“You’ve accomplished your achievements with your hands tied behind your backs somewhat. Due to the economic conditions of our state, there has not been any funding for new or used textbooks in the last five years. There has not been any funding for class supplies or resources for the last five or six years. Our schools are still in proration, and the problem is that it’s probably going to get worse before it gets any better.”
Campbell referred to an education report card issued by the state superintendent of the governor, which reported that Etowah County students met 36 of the 38 Accountability Goals required by federal No Child Left Behind mandates.
“Our goal now is to work to make it 100 percent,” said Campbell. “In spite all the obstacles, you teachers, along with your peers, have managed to improve overall test scores in the last three years,” said Campbell. “You are to be commended for that accomplishment.”
The Etowah High School Singers provided musical entertainment.
Teachers of the Year from Attalla City Schools were Carolyn Stovall of Attalla Elementary, Lisa Robinson from Etowah Middle and John Robert Suddath from Etowah High.
Teachers of the Year from Etowah County elementary schools were Anita Jones of Carlisle, Julie Johnson of Ducks Springs, Beth Lockridge of Gaston; Jessica Nichols of Glencoe, Lee Ann Stewart of Highland, Beth Jones of Hokes Bluff, Candice Patterson of Ivalee, Lisa Richards of John Jones, Cherie Partridge of Southside, Dan Goodwin of West End and Kathy Allen of Whitesboro.
Teachers of the Year from Etowah County secondary schools were Donna Ingram of Glencoe Middle, Debbie Landers-Scott of Hokes Bluff Middle and Sherry Johnson of Rainbow Middle.
Teachers of the Year from Etowah County high schools were Luann Gladden of Gaston, John Meeks of Glencoe, Jill Boatwright of Hokes Bluff, Rick Whitmire of Sardis, Yvette Davis of Southside and Amy McAfee of West End.
Also recognized as Teachers of the Year were Keena Mashburn of the Etowah County Career Tech Center and Bridget Elliot Cushing of The Learning Center.
Teachers of the Year from Gadsden City elementary schools were Kimberly Taylor Miller of Adams, Katie Gillihan of Eura Brown, Regina Duke of Donehoo, Kristin Gebhardt of Floyd, Julie Abel of Mitchell, Rachel Westcott of Striplin, Connie Parkerson of Thompson and Monica Washington of Walnut Park.
Teachers of the Year from Gadsden City secondary schools were Sidney Hardy Powers of Emma Sansom Middle, Constance Montgomery of Gadsden Middle and Tracey Abney of Litchfield Middle.
Curtis Wright was recognized as Gadsden City High School Teacher of the Year.
Teachers of the Year from the Private School division were Kristin Dunn of Coosa Christian Elementary, Anna Musick of Holy Comforter Episcopal Day School, Tammy Piazza of St. James Catholic School, Jennifer Godfrey Westbrook Christian Elementary, Terry L. Johnson from Coosa Christian High and Pam Irons from Westbrook Christian High.
“In our education system, if a student can walk through our schoolhouse door, and even if they are unable to walk through those doors, we educate those students,” said Campbell. “It doesn’t matter about their social issues or their backgrounds or their exceptionality. To the best of my knowledge, we’re the only education system that can make that statement.”