131 Gwinnett Educators Named Local Teachers of Year

Below is a list of teachers of the year at 131 schools in the Gwinnett County Public Schools system.

The list marks the first step in the district’s search for its 2015 Teacher of the Year.

Later this month, this group will be narrowed down to 25 semifinalists. From that group, six finalists will be chosen in mid-October.

The annual Teacher of the Year banquet and the announcement of this year’s top teacher in Gwinnett County will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Gwinnett County Public Schools 2015 Local School Teachers of the Year

Alcova ES, Charlotte Seymour, 5th Grade Teacher

Alford ES, Rebecca Gandy, Special Education Teacher ‐ Moderate Intellectual Disabilities (Grades K‐2)

Anderson‐Livsey ES, Lauren Blanchard, Music Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Annistown ES, Shayla Clay, 4th Grade Teacher

Arcado ES, Andy Chappell, Music Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Archer HS, Kristen Brigmond, Mathematics Teacher (Grade 12)

Bay Creek MS, Corey Simons, Social Studies Teacher (Grade 8)

Beaver Ridge ES, Joyce McGhee, 4th Grade Teacher

Benefield ES, Suzanne Bross, 1st Grade Teacher

Berkeley Lake ES, Trina Ashadele, Special Education Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Berkmar HS, Patrick Mahaffey, Mathematics Teacher (Grades 10 and 11)

Berkmar MS, Tiffany Suggs, Science Teacher (Grade 6)

Bethesda ES, Casandra Lockley, 3rd Grade Teacher

Britt ES, Sara Forrester, 1st Grade Teacher

Brookwood ES, Sharon Smith, Gifted Language Arts teacher (Grade 2)

Brookwood HS, Carrie Settles, AP Environmental Science and Physics Teacher (Grades 11 and 12)

Buice School, Kelly Schaaf, Special Education Teacher (Pre‐K)

Burnette ES, Kelly Nix, 3rd Grade Teacher

Camp Creek ES, Karen Detar, 1st Grade Teacher

Cedar Hill ES, Jennifer L. Beaty, 3rd Grade Teacher

Centerville ES, Denise Holden, Literacy Coach and Transition Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Central Gwinnett HS, Johnny Griffin, Social Studies Teacher (Grade 11)

Chattahoochee ES, Jenny Ittner, Gifted and Accelerated Content Teacher (Grades 2 and 5)

Chesney ES, Lorena Flores, English to Speakers of Other Languages Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Collins Hill HS, Micah Porter, Chemistry Teacher (Grades 10‐12)

Cooper ES, Michelle Neef, Special Education Teacher ‐ Severe and Profound Intellectual Disabilities (Grades K‐2)

Corley ES, Katherine Ludy, 4th Grade Teacher

Couch MS, Cindy Apley‐Rose, Mathematics Teacher (Grade 8)

Craig ES, Lisa Flagg, 1st Grade Teacher

Creekland MS, Allison Hines, Mathematics Teacher (Grade 6)

Crews MS, Laura Diers, Mathematics and Science Teacher (Grade 6)

Dacula ES, Cindy Jeanfreau, Kindergarten Teacher

Dacula HS, Sheryl Ackers, Language Arts Teacher (Grade 9)

Dacula MS, Terri Wiley, Band Teacher (Grades 6‐8)

Duluth HS, Jerry Hancock, U.S. History Teacher (Grade 11)

Duluth MS, Kim M. White, Language Arts Teacher (Grade 7)

Duncan Creek ES, Dr. Jackie Ellett, Visual Arts Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Dyer ES, Amy Shope, Special Education Teacher ‐ Mathematics and Language Arts (Grades 2 and 3)

Ferguson ES, Lindsey Shannon, Mathematics Instructional Coach (Grades K‐5)

Five Forks MS, Scherrie Hardy, Special Education Teacher ‐ Science (Grade 7)

Fort Daniel ES, Jennifer A. James, 3rd Grade Teacher

Freeman’s Mill ES, Henry Spivey, 5th Grade Teacher

GIVE Center East, Denton Elkins, Social Studies Teacher (Grades 9‐12)

GIVE Center West, Nia Thornton, Language Arts Teacher (Grades 11‐12)

Grace Snell MS, Ashlee Todd, Special Education Teacher ‐ Moderate Intellectual Disabilities (Grades 6‐8)

Grayson ES, Michelle Jarrett, 2nd Grade Teacher

Grayson HS, Holly E. Brodnax, Spanish Teacher (Grades 9‐12)

Gwin Oaks ES, Rebecca McClellan, Mathematics Instructional Coach (Grades K‐5)

Gwinnett Online Campus, Randi Hill, Local School Technology Coordinator

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Kristin Roberts, Honors and Gifted Spanish Teacher (Grades 9‐12)

Harbins ES, Dr. Kishina Woolfolk, Technology Specialist and Coach (Grades K‐5)

Harmony ES, Allison R. Ward, 3rd Grade Teacher

Harris ES, Leigh Ann Gaskins, 5th Grade Teacher

Head ES, Caroline Ramey, 3rd Grade Teacher

Hopkins ES, Cindy Britt, Reading Specialist (Grades K‐5)

Hull MS, Margaret Baggett, Mathematics Teacher (Grade 6)

Ivy Creek ES, Angela Dempsey, 1st Grade Teacher

Jackson ES, Emily Carter, Reading Recovery Teacher

Jenkins ES, Andrea Dougherty, 3rd Grade Teacher

Jones MS, Jaclyn Boyce, Special Education Teacher ‐ Mild Intellectual Disabilities (Grades 6‐8)

Kanoheda ES, Diana Sewell, 3rd Grade Teacher

Knight ES, Lisa Petrassi, 2nd Grade Teacher

Lanier HS, Michael Reilly, Technology Teacher (Grades 9‐12)

Lanier MS, Lauren Pulley, Special Education Teacher ‐ Mathematics ‐ Emotional Behavior Disorders (Grades 6‐8)

Lawrenceville ES, Katherine Head, Special Education Teacher ‐ Interrelated Resources (Grades 1 and 5)

Level Creek ES, Amber Arnold, Visual Arts Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Lilburn ES, Nancy Nations, 1st Grade Teacher

Lilburn MS, Pamela Faulkner Perkins, Social Studies Teacher (Grade 8)

Lovin ES, Stephanie Stry, 5th Grade Teacher

Magill ES, Shannon Cravens, 5th Grade Teacher

Mason ES, Pam Cohen, 5th Grade Teacher

Maxwell HS of Technology, Max Chavez, Automotive Services Teacher (Grades 11 and 12)

McConnell MS, Christopher Shaw, Special Education Teacher ‐ Mild Intellectual Disabilities (Grades 6‐8)

McKendree ES, Dana Marsal, Physical Education Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Meadowcreek ES, Jackie Giera, English to Speakers of Other Languages Teacher (Grades 1, 2, and 4)

Meadowcreek HS, Joel Sisson, French Teacher (Grades 10‐12)

Mill Creek HS, Gregory Marr, AP Physics Teacher (Grades 10‐12)

Minor ES, Misty Watkins, 3rd Grade Teacher

Monarch School, Monique Eason, Special Education Teacher ‐ ADAPT

Moore MS, Shawn Coleman, Science Teacher (Grade 6)

Mountain Park ES, Jocelyn Fedyk, 4th Grade Teacher

Mountain View HS, Dr. Jaime Claymore, Latin Teacher (Grades 9‐12)

Mulberry ES, Heather Nevius, Gifted and Accelerated Content Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Nesbit ES, Ebony Jones, 5th Grade Teacher

Norcross ES, Dr. Pamela Cummings, 3rd Grade Teacher

Norcross HS, Dan Byrne, IB History Teacher (Grades 11 and 12)

North Gwinnett HS, Dr. Colette Grodzicki, Language Arts Teacher (AP and Grade 10)

North Gwinnett MS, LaToya Brumfield, Language Arts Teacher (Grade 8)

Northbrook MS, Ryan Wilson, Social Studies Teacher (Grade 7)

Norton ES, Jennifer Martin, Local School Technology Coordinator

Oakland Meadow School, Caroline Whitten, Literacy Coach (Grades Pre‐K‐12)

Osborne MS, Mark D. Moon, Social Studies Teacher (Grade 7)

Parkview HS, Tara Finco, Language Arts Teacher (Grades 9‐12)

Parsons ES, Becky Melts, 4th Grade Teacher

Partee ES, Nancy Kluge, Kindergarten Teacher

Patrick ES, Heather Silver, Visual Arts Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Peachtree ES, Samia Tallmadge, Kindergarten Teacher

Peachtree Ridge HS, Nelson Dean, Social Studies and Music Teacher (Grades 9‐12)

Pharr ES, Shanna Brown, Kindergarten Teacher and Reading Recovery Teacher (Grade 1)

Phoenix HS, Harold Singleton, Science Teacher (Grades 9‐12)

Pinckneyville MS, Dr. Bridget Guenthner, Mathematics Enrichment Teacher (Grades 6‐8)Puckett’s Mill ES, Whitney Deal, Kindergarten Teacher

Radloff MS, Marcia Ellington‐Lopez, Language Arts Teacher (Grade 8)

Richards MS, Jennifer Carwile, Band and General Music Teacher (Grades 6‐8)

Riverside ES, Hope Haney, 2nd Grade Teacher

Roberts ES, Nancy Cooper, Special Education Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Rock Springs ES, Denise Young, Accelerated Mathematics Teacher (Grades 3‐5)

Rockbridge ES, Laura Markert, 5th Grade Teacher

Rosebud ES, Lori Adami, Special Education Teacher (Pre‐K )

Shiloh ES, Amber MacMillan, 1st Grade Teacher

Shiloh HS, T.J. Miniscalco, History Teacher (Grade 11)

Shiloh MS, Lesley McClendon, Language Arts Teacher (Grade 7)

Simonton ES, Stephanie Flemish, 3rd Grade Teacher

Simpson ES, Amy Boalch, 4th Grade Teacher

Snellville MS, Ginger Sparks, Gifted Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher (Grade 6)

South Gwinnett HS, Jalencia Burchett, Algebra I and Geometry Teacher (Grades 9 and 10)

Starling ES, Erica Lammey, 2nd Grade Teacher

Stripling ES, Merle Soodyall, Music Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Sugar Hill ES, Karen Whisonant, 1st Grade Teacher

Summerour MS, Chekema Hector, Science Teacher (Grade 8)

Suwanee ES, Dr. Somer Anderson, 1st Grade Teacher

Sweetwater MS, Wesley Diers, Social Studies Teacher (Grade 6)

Sycamore ES, DeAnne Daniel, 3rd Grade Teacher

Taylor ES, Robin Thompson, Kindergarten Teacher

Trickum MS, Tiffany Tatum, Gifted Science Teacher (Grade 6)

Trip ES, Angela M. Skinner, 3rd Grade Teacher

Twin Rivers MS, Cindy Cordero, Language Arts Teacher (Grade 7)

Walnut Grove ES, LaVica Edwards, Mathematics and Science Teacher (Grade 5)

White Oak ES, Stephanie Wallace, 1st Grade Teacher

Winn Holt ES, Matthew Tinnell, Music Teacher (Grades K‐5)

Note: Hooper Renwick School, New Life Academy of Excellence, and North Metro Academy of Performing Arts did not participate in the Teacher of the Year