Three finalists have been chosen for the Coweta County School System’s 2016 Teacher of the Year.
The three finalists – from Brooks, Elm Street and Thomas Crossroads Elementary Schools – were chosen from among the 31 Teacher of the Year chosen by their fellow teachers at each of Coweta County’s 31 public schools. They are:
Cheryl Nicolls, a 2nd grade teacher at Brooks Elementary School
Shannon Ewing, the media specialist at Elm Street Elementary School
Audrey Anglin, a special education teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students at Thomas Crossroads Elementary School
All 31 of Coweta County’s 2016 Teachers of the Year will be honored at the annual 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 county’s 2016 Teacher of the Year – who would serve as the school system’s nominee for state TOTY – will also be announced at Wednesday’s program.
Teachers of the Year are selected by certified teachers at each school in recognition of 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.
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. The school system’s 2016 Teachers of the Year 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); Tabatha 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).
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 15 Coweta County semi-finalists for Georgia teacher of the year since 1986.
Martha Milam – a chemistry teacher at East Coweta High School – was chosen as Coweta County’s 2015 Teacher of the Year. Milam, 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 a finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year.
Press Release
