Gwinnett's Doblar Among GA Teacher Of Year Finalists

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA – Dr. Doug Doblar, an elementary school teacher who is honored to teach at the same school he attended as a child, has advanced Tuesday to the top 10 finalists for 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

Doblar, of Head Elementary School, was named the 2018 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year during the annual Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year banquet Nov. 9, at the Infinite Energy Forum in Duluth.

The finalists were chosen from a pool of 150 applicants; all had been previously selected as their school district's Teacher of the Year. The applications were read by a panel of judges that included 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.

"It will certainly be a difficult decision for our panel of judges to choose who should be the 2019 Teacher of the Year," Superintendent Woods said. "It is evident upon meeting each finalist that they treat education as more than just a profession -- it is their calling. It is my honor to meet each of them as they all are obviously dedicated, quality educators."

Finalists met with a panel of judges for a formal interview and gave speeches during a finalist luncheon April 16. The winner will be announced May 19, 2018.

The 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year will travel around the state and the nation, serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession in Georgia. He or she will also be entered in the National Teacher of the Year competition. The 2018 Georgia Teacher of the Year is Mr. John R. Tibbetts, an economics teacher at Worth County High School in Worth County Schools.

Click here to learn more about the Georgia Teacher of the Year program.

2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalists*

• Shaylen Dixon, third grade, Peachtree City Elementary School, Fayette County Schools
• Dr. Doug Doblar, fourth and fifth grade mathematics and science, R.D. Head Elementary School, Gwinnett County Schools
• Allison Kerley, third grade, Barnwell Elementary School, Fulton County Schools
• Dr. Stefan Lawrence, English, George Washington Carver High School, Muscogee County Schools
• Nancy Rogers, English, Thomas County Middle School, Thomas County Schools
• Maleah Stewart, speech-language pathologist, North Forsyth Middle School, Forsyth County Schools
• Ike Thompson, English/gifted, Veterans High School, Houston County Schools
• Melanie Thompson, science, Georgia Academy for the Blind, State Schools
• Stephanie Vidrine, mathematics, Woodstock Middle School, Cherokee County Schools
• Kayla Yeargin, mathematics, Troup High School, Troup County Schools

*Finalists are listed in alphabetical order by last name

Photo and video courtesy Gwinnett County School System