School Level Teachers of the Year Award Winners
2010
Shelley Dunlap
(B.S., Early Childhood Education 1995)
Ms. Dunlap was given the teacher of the year awaard for 2009/2010 from Wells Primary School.
Ann Whipple Taylor
(B.S., Early Childhood Education, 1993)
Ms. Taylor earned the teacher 2009/2010 of the year award from Gray Station Middle School in Jones County.
Cameron Tibbetts
(Non-degree English Education, 1999)
Ms. Tibbetts was awarded teacher of the year for 2009/2010 for her teaching at Ninth Grade Academy in Jones County.
Linda Bowden
(Non-Degree Administration & Supervision, 2003)
Ms. Bowden was the 2009/2010 recipient of the teacher of the year award at Jones County High School.
Methina Underwood Chambers
( B.S., Early Childhood Education, 1997; M.Ed., Early Chilhood Education 2000)
Ms. Chambers was presented with the 2009/2010 teacher of the year award for Mattie Wells Elementary School in Jones County.
Vicki Thigpen
(B.S., Early Childhood Education, 1997)
Ms. Thigpen received the teacher of the year award for 2009/2010 from Clifton Ridge Middle School in Jones County.
Robin Swetman
(Specialist, Early Childhood Education, Currently Enrolled)
Ms. Swetman was awarded teacher of the year for 2009/2010 for her outstanding approach to teaching at Woodland Elementary School. Ms. Swetman is currently enrolled in an EdS program in Early Childhood at Georgia College under the direction of Dr. Lyndall Muschell.
Amy Lundy
(Middle Grades Education, 1993)
Ms. Lundy was awarded recognition as one of the 2010 School Teacher of the Year for her committment to teaching at Gray Station Middle School. Lundy has been teaching 7th grade Language Arts, Math, and Reading since 2006.
Carmen Shepard
(M.Ed. Instructional Technology, 2004)
Ms. Shepard has received recognition as one of the 2010 School Teacher of the Year for her work as a 3rd and 4th grade teacher of technology at Gray Elementary School in Jones County. Ms. Spepard graduated with both her B.S. in Elementary Education, and her Media Specialist degree from Georgia College.
Paula Wright
(B.S., Middle Grades Education, 1989; M.Ed. Middle Grades Education, 1995; Ed.S., Middle Grades Education, 2000)
Ms. Wright currently works for GCSU as a part time faculty member teaching college freshman in the education department about diversity and current trends. Ms. Wright is receiving her recognition as a 2010 School Teacher of the Year for her work as a 6th and 8th grade teacher of Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies at Clifton Ridge Middle School in jones County.
Sherry Sanders
(Ed.S., Social Science Education, 1996)
Ms. Sanders currently works as a 10th-12th grade Economics, U.S. History, and American Government teacher at Jones County High School. This position and her dedication to education earned her recognition as a 2010 School Teacher of the Year.
Debbie Howe
(Early Childhood Education, 1980)
Mrs. Howe is a 3rd grade teacher for all subjects at Mattie Wells Elementary School. Because of her long standing committment to her teaching position over the past 29 years, Mrs. Howe was acknowledged as a 2010 Teacher of the Year.
Nikki Hawes
(Early Childhood Education, 1999)
Ms. Hawes currently teaches second grade at Wells Primary School in Jones County and due to her outstanding contribution to education as been recognized as a 2010 School Teacher of the Year.
2009
Margretta Giles
(Masters in Interrlated Education, 1995)
Mrs. Giles has been described as hard-working; dedicated; and dependable by her colleagues for the past 18 years as teacher in Georgia. Due to her always psotive attitude and constant committment to teaching, Margretta Giles was awarded Creekside Elementary's School Teacher of the Year.
Carol Melder
(Specialist in Education, 2001)
Carol Melder has been a teacher for over 15 years, 12 of which have been dedicated to Blandy Hills Elementary School. In 2009 Ms. Melder was selected to represent Blandy Hills Elementary School as Teacher of the Year.
Miranda Janelle Ellison, Eagle Ridge Elementary School
(B.S., Early Childhood, 1988)
Miranda Ellison taught at Southside Elementary School before later joining Eagle Ridge. She has served her school, most recently as a team leader, and has served her community as a member of several education-based committees.
Cheryl Johnson, Early Learning Center
(B.S., Early Childhood, 1983)
Cheryl Johnson taught in the kindergarten program at Children's Friend for 11 years and also was named an assistant director. She was named one of the top 10 childcare professionals in the nation. She was the first certified teacher hired by the Baldwin County Head Start program in 1994. She has served as a liaison between Baldwin County Schools and Georgia College to develop and maintain relationships with professional development schools. She has been a mentor teacher at the Early Learning Center with the Georgia Pre-K program for 14 years and is currently a facilitator for the New Teacher Institute. She is a host teacher to Georgia College cohorts and students from Central Georgia Technical College and is also a member of the Early Learning Center Leadership Team.
Gloria Lindsey, Midway Elementary School
(M.Ed., Intellectual Disabilities, 1996)
Gloria Lindsey became a paraprofessional in the Baldwin County School System in 1987, then earned her teacher certification and began teaching at Midway Elementary in 1991. She was a Midway design team member from 2005-2007 when Midway received accreditation through SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) and is also on the Better Seeking Math Team committee. She has served the Baldwin County School district for 21 years.
Chuck Claxton, Oak Hill Middle School
(B.S. Psychology, 1985; B.S. Middle Grades, 1994)
Chuck Claxton started teaching at Boddie Middle School in 1994 then moved to Oak Hill Middle. After briefly leaving the system for a stint in Putnam County schools, Claxton returned to Oak Hill in 2006 to teach life science in the ACE program. Since he started teaching, he has earned the title of teacher of the year at Boddie Middle and Putnam Middle. He was named Baldwin County's Teacher of the Year in 1997. His desire is to not only help students meet the standard, he said, but to appreciate life and all its miracles and to instill a sense of awe and wonder that will encourage them to be life-long learners. Claxton enjoys hiking and outdoors activities with his family.
Lynn McLachlan, Baldwin High School
(B.S. Mathematics, 1978, M.Ed Mathematics Education, 1981)
Lynn McLachlan was selected Teacher of the Year for
Carol Harrington Melder
(B.S., Elementary Education, 1977; M.Ed., Middle Grades, 1998; Ed.S. Middle Grades 2001)
Carol Melder was selected as teacher of the year from her school in Baldwin County.
Margretta L. Giles
(B.S., Special Education, 1991; M.Ed. Special Education, 1995; Reading Endorsement)
Margretta Giles was selected as teacher of the year from her school in Baldwin County.
Stephanie Shelton
(MAT, Secondary Education, 2005) is one of the ten finalists for the 2009 State Teacher of the Year Award. Her mentor leaders were Dr. Cynthia Alby and Dr. Brian Mumma. Stephanie Shelton is an English teacher at Washington County High School.
Lisa Mosely
Lisa Mosely was named Teacher of the Year 2008-2009 at David A Perdue Elementary School in Houston County. She received her bachelors degree in middle grades education from Georgia College.
2008
Jason Heath was awarded the 2008 Teacher of the Year Award for
Huntington Middle School in Houston County. He is a special education
teacher for sixth and eighth grade language arts and sixth grade social
studies. He earned his B.S. degree (2003) from Georgia College.
Jan Thompson received the Blandy Hills Teacher of the Year Award for 2008. She is a 1992 alumna of the GCSU Early Childhood Program. Jan also has been a host teacher for our GCSU education students.
Melinda Davis was selected as the 2008 Teacher of the Year for Baldwin High School. She received her M.Ed. in Special Education in 2004 from GCSU.
Melanie Cobb won the Outstanding Teacher of the Year 2008 for The Early Learning Center. She graduated from GCSU in 1981, then she earned her M.Ed. from us in 1985. Ms. Cobb has served as a host teacher for our cohort students.
Stephanie Shelton received the 2007-2008 Teacher of the Year Award from Washington County High School. She teaches language arts. Ms. Shelton was an M.A.T. student in Secondary Education during 2004-05 with Dr. Cynthia Alby as her Mentor Leader.
Carol Fellows Williams won the Teacher of the Year Award for 2007-2008 from David Perdue Primary School in Houston County. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in special education from GCSU.
2007
Melanie Fuller was selected as 2007 Teacher of the Year for McKibeen Lane Elementary School in Bibb County. She was a 2006 graduate of the M.A.T. program in Special Education, and her mentor leader was Dr. Lynn McMullen. 
Sharon Patterson, Superintendent; Carolyn Rainey, Teacher of the Year at Burghard Elementary; and Lynne Donehoo, Principal
Carolyn Rainey was named 2007 Teacher of the Year at Burghard Elementary School in Bibb County. She graduated from our Special Education program in 2000. Currently she teaches in a collaborative kindergarten room.
(Thanks to Susan Eilers from the Jones County Board of Education who gave us the information on the Jones County Teachers of the Year for 2007. 7 out of 8 (88%) of the school winners had at least one degree from Georgia College.)
Leah Tucker Bodnarchuk was named 2007 Teacher of the Year at Jones County High School. She teaches special education. She earned her B.S.(1999), M.Ed. (2001), and is currently working on her Ed.S. from Georgia College.
Marty Harrington won the 2007 Teacher of the Year at Gray Elementary in Jones County. She teaches K-5 Connections-Qwizdom. She received both her B.S.(1975) and M.Ed. (1977) from Georgia College.
Dana Hutchinson was nominated and selected as 2007 Teacher of the Year from Califf Middle School/Gray Station Middle School in Jones County. She teaches Family and Consumer Sciences, Reading and Social Studies and Math. She earned her B.S. (1999) and M.Ed.(2006) from Georgia College.
June Lassitter was awarded the 2007 Teacher of the Year from Wells Primary in Jones County. She teaches first grade. June earned her B.S. (1989) and her M.Ed.(1993) from Georgia College.
Lucinda Simpson was named Dames Ferry Elementary 2007 Teacher of the Year in Jones Country. She teaches kindergarten and received her M.Ed. (2006) from Georgia College.
Bethany Stevens earned the 2007 Teacher of the Year Award from Mattie Wells Elementary in Jones County. She teaches fifth grade reading/language arts, math, science and social studies. She received both her B.S. (1989) and her M.Ed. (2000) from Georgia College.
Patty Q. Wells was named Clifton Ridge 2007 Teacher of the Year in Jones County. She teaches eighth grade earth science and reading and is an academic science coach. She earned her B.S. (1971), M.Ed. (1976), and Ed.S. (1996) from Georgia College.
Rhonda Ruffin, who received her M.Ed. in Special Education (2006) was selected as teacher of the year for Howard Middle School in Bib County.
Angie Heath won 2007 Teacher of the Year at Perry High School. She did a non-degree certification at GCSU and is now returning for her M.Ed.
Pam Brookins was chosen Teacher of the Year for Creekside for 2007. She has BS, M. Ed., and EDs from GCSU.
David Doud, Baldwin High School
(B.S. Mathematics Education, 1970)
David Doud was chosen Teacher of the Year for
2006
Robin Swetman, was named 2006 Teacher of the Year from Dutchtown Elementary School in Henry Country. She is a self-contained special education teacher. In 2004 Robin earned a Masters in Special Education with a concentration in Reading.
2004
Mary Jane Hooks, a graduate from the Dublin GCSU program, won the Teacher of the Year
Award in 2004 for the Dublin City Schools.
Keysha Wilmore, a 2002 graduate of the special education cohort, was named Teacher of the Year for 2004 at Morningside Elementary in Perry. Keysha was nominated in 2003; in 2004 she won.
Maria Saavedra, a 2002 graduate of the special education cohort, was nominated and selected Teacher of the Year for 2004 at Linwood Elementary School in Warner Robbins.
Lynn McLachlan, Baldwin High School
(B.S. Mathematics, 1978, M.Ed Mathematics Education, 1981)
Lynn McLachlan was selected Teacher of the Year for
2003
Ketura Collins was nominated and selected as Teacher of The Year at Bonaire Elementary in Houston County spring 2003. She completed her undergraduate degree in 1999 and her masters in December 2002. Both degrees were from GCSU.
Misty Garcia was nominated and selected as Teacher of the Year at Todd Grant Elementary in Darien, Georgia for the 2002-2003 school year. She was a graduate of the 2001 Middle Grade cohort, so Misty was awarded this honor during her second year of teaching.
2003 John Lamon (Non-degree certification, 1996, M.Ed in Secondary English, 2008) was Teacher of the Year for
2001
2001 Teresa McCuen (B.S. Chemistry 1986, M.Ed. Administration and Supervision 1997, Ed.S. Administration and Supervision 2001) was Teacher of the Year for
1992
Evelyn Freeman (B.S. and M.Ed. in Special Education) was Teacher of the Year for Baldwin High School in 1992.
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