The Newton County School System and the Newton County Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce the 2023-2024 school level teachers of the year. These teachers will now participate in the county program with the winner serving as the Newton County School System’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.
Over the summer, each of the nominees worked on their district Teacher of the Year essay packet, which required each teacher to answer a number of questions concerning their educational background, teaching philosophy, and style of teaching. On Tuesday, September 12, and Wednesday, September 13, each teacher will participate in a 20-minute interview to be conducted by a panel of volunteer judges.
Once scores from the essays and interviews are tallied, three finalists will be determined (the teachers with the three highest combined scores). On Tuesday, September 19, the Teacher of the Year selection committee will observe each of the three finalists teaching in his or her classroom setting. The teacher with the highest combined score on the essay, interview, and observation, will be announced as the Newton County School System’s 2024 Teacher of the Year during a special ceremony at Newton High School on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 4:45 p.m.
The Newton County School System would like to congratulate the school-level Teachers of the Year, as they are each worthy of this special honor. As such, all 23 Teachers of the Year will be recognized at the reception at Newton High School and presented with a commemorative plaque from the Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Each of the two runners-up will receive a crystal award from the Newton County Chamber of Commerce. The 2024 Newton County Teacher of the Year will receive a crystal award and check for $1,000 from the Chamber of Commerce. Newton County School System will also provide a monetary award for each of the school system’s 23 Teachers of the Year. The Newton County School System 2024 Teacher of the Year will represent the district in the Georgia Teacher of the Year program.
Newton County’s Teacher of the Year program would not be possible without the support of our community. As a result, the Newton County School System and the Newton County Chamber of Commerce would like to extend special thanks to the Chamber Champions, sponsors of the 2024 Teacher of the Year program: Abbey Hospice; Archer Aviation; AT&T; BD; Beaver Manufacturing; Newton County Board of Commissioners; Bridgestone; City of Covington; Clearwave Fiber; Dualdeko; Edgar Law Firm; General Mills; Georgia United Credit Union; Ginn; Georgia Piedmont Technical College; High Priority Plumbing; Keenan Media; Longleaf Hospice; Main Street Land & Properties; Meta; Michelin; Newton County Water & Sewer Authority; Newton County IDA; Newton Federal; Nisshinbo; Northside; Oxford College; Piedmont Newton; Pinnacle Bank; SKC; Snapping Shoals EMC; SteelCo; Sunbelt Builders; Synovus; Takeda; The Center; The Covington News; Truist; and United Bank.
See below for a list of this year’s 2023-2024 School-Level Teachers of the Year:
2023-2024 Teachers of the Year
| SCHOOL |
|
TEACHER OF THE YEAR |
| East Newton Elementary |
|
Daphne Ridling |
| Fairview Elementary |
|
Lisa Hall |
| Flint Hill Elementary |
|
Elaine Owensby |
| Heard-Mixon Elementary |
|
Tiffany Young |
| Live Oak Elementary |
|
Jasmine Howard |
| Livingston Elementary |
|
Kimberly Ralston |
| Mansfield Elementary |
|
Jennifer Allen |
| Middle Ridge Elementary |
|
Michelle Brown |
| Newton County STEAM Academy |
|
Calesta Mueller |
| Oak Hill Elementary |
|
Laura Faith |
| Porterdale Elementary |
|
Amber Goss |
| Rocky Plains Elementary |
|
Richelle Oliver |
| South Salem Elementary |
|
Alisa Eller |
| West Newton Elementary |
|
Leslie Pate |
| Clements Middle |
|
Yvonne Hill Davenport |
| Cousins Middle |
|
Shakhana Fulton |
| Indian Creek Middle |
|
Russell Parker |
| Liberty Middle |
|
Sherise Rollins |
| Veterans Memorial Middle |
|
Martin Mensah |
| Alcovy High |
|
Jenica Brittingham |
| Eastside High |
|
Heather Mathews |
| Newton High |
|
Alethea Chapman |
| Newton College & Career Academy |
|
Dr. Cecily Gunter |