PHOTO: Carrollton Elementary School Teacher of the Year Lisa Hines is pictured reading to her kindergarten class.
Lisa Hines, named the Carrollton Elementary School Teacher of the Year, has worn many hats throughout her journey to become an educator. From stay-at-home mom to paraprofessional with a degree in human psychology, she developed a love for teaching through her care for children in the community and a devotion to lifelong learning.
Hines grew up in Miami, Florida and pursued post-secondary education at Miami Dade Community College, where she earned an associate degree, before graduating from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Science, focusing on child development and psychology, in 1989. After college, she married her husband, Tim, and they started a family. Hines stayed home with her children until her youngest began school, and then she accepted a position as a paraprofessional in 2002.
Just as Hines raised a family in her home, she joined the Carrollton Elementary staff and applied the same love and dedication to her classroom. Working alongside Mary Helen Moody, a now-retired CES teacher who profoundly impacted her career, Hines gained teaching experience that she would carry into her career, specifically the importance of teaching kindness, patience, and cooperation.
Her gift for teaching did not go unnoticed by school leadership. Former CES Principal Robin Gay encouraged Hines to pursue her teaching certification shortly after beginning as a paraprofessional. By consistently looking for opportunities to strengthen her skills and taking on additional responsibilities, including serving as the after-school program site coordinator, Hines established herself as a leader in the school. She obtained her teaching certification in just one year through the accelerated Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP) program and was hired as a pre-Kindergarten teacher in 2012.
Her knowledge of human development and child psychology combined with classroom experience enabled her to understand the young Trojans and their learning at a deeper level.
“Each year, I work to provide my students with not only a solid academic foundation but also a true love for learning,” said Hines. “I teach them that growing their brains takes grit, and that learning is more like a marathon than a sprint.”
Hines anchors her teaching philosophy in the belief that her role is not only to prepare students for the next grade level but for life, with joy, purpose and the unshakable belief that they can do anything.
CES Principal Courtney Walker said Hines serves as a model teacher.
“Lisa is an incredible educator who not only nurtures but empowers her kindergarteners to be independent learners,” said Walker. “She sets high expectations for herself, her colleagues, and her students. I am truly grateful for the encouragement and commitment she demonstrates to Carrollton Elementary and the Trojan Nation.”
Hines’s impact on her students and other faculty members led to her selection as Carrollton Elementary School Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026. She and other Teacher of the Year recipients, Brittany Young, Carrollton Upper Elementary School; Amby Shoemake, Carrollton Middle School; and Shannon Bright, Carrollton High School, are now vying for the district honor to be announced at the district’s opening convocation on July 29.
