NEWTON COUNTY -- The Newton County School System and the Newton County Chamber of Commerce announced the 2023-2024 school level teachers of the year on Sept. 11. 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, Sept. 12, and Wednesday, Sept. 13, each teacher participated in a 20-minute interview 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, Sept. 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, Sept. 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.
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
