State Superintendent Surprises Cherokee Teacher Of The Year Finalist

CANTON, GA — A Cherokee County School District teacher and one of her classes enjoyed a surprise recently: a visit from State Superintendent of Schools Richard Woods.

The statewide education leader visited the classroom of Indian Knoll Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Chelsea Leming to congratulate her on recently being named one of Georgia’s 10 Teacher of the Year finalists.

Woods, who was joined in the visit by Cherokee Superintendent Brian Hightower, School Board Chair Kyla Cromer and School Board member Mike Chapman and other district and school leaders, told the excited class how special it is to be a finalist.

“There are 110,000 teachers in Georgia … and she’s in the top .009 percent,” Woods told the class, as he explained the Georgia Teacher of the Year would be announced April 30, and that winner would advance to the national competition.

Leming began her education career in 2009 as an eighth-grade teacher at E.T. Booth Middle School and then helped open Indian Knoll Elementary. At Indian Knoll, she teaches fifth-grade English Language Arts and social studies and previously has taught as part of the Early Intervention Program for students who need more academic support.

The students asked Woods many questions, ranging from his job, to his hobbies, to the reason for his visit. He even agreed to their request to draw something, and sketched a cartoon cat.

The most pressing question was whether, if Leming wins Georgia Teacher of the Year, would that make their class the Georgia Class of the Year? Woods said he would have to remember that suggestion, which delighted the class.

Much of the visit also was spent hearing students share why they think Leming is an outstanding teacher. They praised her for working hard to help them understand lessons, from her creative ideas like “create your own Wordle” to her songs for remembering grammar concepts – and then they demonstrated one.

But most importantly, the students said, she is the best because of how she treats them.

“She always recognizes us,” student Zannah Snook shared, pointing to the wall where Leming tracks the books they’ve read. “She gives us a lot of attention. She helps us individually. She cares.”