2016 Teachers of the Year for each of Coweta County’s 31 public schools have been chosen by their fellow teachers.
Teachers of the Year are selected by certified teachers at each school in recognition of exemplary teaching, and serve as ambassadors of their profession. This year’s honorees represent grade levels from Kindergarten through 12th grade, and a range of educational disciplines including elementary grade instruction, math, physical education, sciences, music, special education, history, language arts and media services.
They will be honored at the Coweta County Teacher of the Year Program, held on Wednesday, April 27, at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. The Coweta County Board of Education presents the program annually with the Newnan Pilot Club.
The 2016 Teachers of the Year from each school are:
From elementary schools: Janene Caylor, Kindergarten (Arbor Springs); Amy Mathis, 2nd Grade (Arnco-Sargent); Jessica Pope, Media Specialist (Atkinson); Cheryl Nicolls, 2nd Grade (Brooks); Sherry Lott, 2nd Grade (Canongate); Brendan Shaner, 4th Grade English and Language Arts (Eastside); Shannon Ewing, Media Specialist (Elm Street); Amanda Scogin, 5th Grade (Glanton); Phyllis Cone, Kindergarten, Grade (Jefferson Parkway); Daniel Leatherwood, 3rd Grade (Moreland); Loren Hawkins, 3rd Grade (Newnan Crossing); Monica Lovett, Kindergarten (Northside); Melissa Baker, 1st Grade (Poplar Road); Douglas Duncan, 5th Grade (Ruth Hill); Audrey Anglin, Special Education (Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students), (Thomas Crossroads); Jerri Penson, 1st Grade (Welch); Natasha Beavers, 1st Grade (Western); Lauren Gallagher, 4th Grade (White Oak); Lindsey McFadden, 3rd Grade (Willis Road).
From middle schools: Jennifer Davis, 8th Grade English and Language Arts (Arnall Middle); Melanie Barnett, 6th Grade Science (East Coweta Middle); Tabitha Cyprian, 7th Grade Special Education (Evans Middle); Jeff Bouchard, 6th Grade Math and Science (Lee Middle); Bob Lutz, 8th Grade Science (Madras Middle); Joe Bence, 7th Grade Mathematics (Smokey Road Middle); Bruce Humphrey, Middle Grades Science (Maggie Brown Middle Alternative).
From high schools: Gayle Butler, 8th Grade Science (the Central Educational Center); Matt East, U.S. History and AP Microeconomics (East Coweta High); Shawn Atkinson, Mathematics (Newnan High); Orla Thomas, AP and STEM Chemistry (Northgate High); John Perkerson, Mathematics (Winston Dowdell Academy).
TOTYs are selected are selected by their peers for the quality of their teaching, professional development, teaching philosophies and methods, community involvement, contributions to education, and their ability to inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn. Three finalists for the Coweta County School System’s 2016 Teacher of the Year will be chosen from among this year’s school TOTYs.
Martha Milam – a chemistry teacher at East Coweta High School – was chosen as Coweta County’s 2015 Teacher of the Year. Miliam, Moreland Elementary School 3rd grade teacher Cheri Barnett and Lee Middle School self-contained special education teacher Jason Fairchild were 2015 finalists.
Milam is a 12-year educator, and a leader in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs at ECHS and in the Coweta school system, and is Coweta’s nominee for Georgia Teacher of the Year.
Three Coweta County School System Teachers of the Year have been selected for Georgia TOTY, including Lorraine Johnson, Nancy Royal and Jamie Lipscomb. There have also been 14 Coweta County semi-finalists for Georgia teacher of the year since 1986.
