FCHS Teacher One of Ten Finalists for 2015 Georgia Teacher of the Year

We are very proud of Sarah Welch as she has been named as one of the ten finalists for the 2015 Georgia Teacher of the Year. She is a dedicated and inspirational educator and we are so grateful that she teaches the students of Fannin County each and every day. Article submitted by Erik W. Cioffi, Principal Fannin County High School. Below is the press release from the GaDOE.
Press Release from the Georgia DOE:

2015 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists Announced

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.