A Nonprofit Organization Supporting Teachers and Students
2024 Teacher of the Year
2024 Sponsors
We are grateful to our Teacher of the Year Gratitude Banquet Sponsors!
PRESENTING SPONSOR
- Alabama Credit Union
BLACK & GOLD SPONSOR
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Martin and Cobey
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RJ Young
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Morell Engineering
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McKee & Associates
SILVER SPONSOR
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First State Bank of the SOuth
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Athens State University
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Redstone Federal Credit Union
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Hand Arendall Harrison Sale
CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR
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First National Bank
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Canebrake Club
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Ming Commercial Real Estate Group
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North Alabama Educators Credit Union
Special thanks to The News Courier for publishing the Teacher of the Year series each year. This special series highlights each school winner and helps us to celebrate their achievement with the community.
*If you would like to sponsor this special celebration for our teachers, click here to learn more.
TOY Teacher of the Year 2024 - SM by Athens City Schools
9th Annual Teacher of the Year Recognition Event
Truly great teachers seek to inspire hope, ignite the imagination and instill a love of learning. Then they wrap all that inspiration up in the warmth of genuine passion for this most noble profession. Our community and students are fortunate to have schools filled to capacity with truly great teachers. From among the halls filled with outstanding teachers, nominations are made. Each school selects a Teacher of the Year. A district-wide committee then selects one elementary and one secondary Teacher of the Year to represent Athens City Schools at the state competition. The selection committee is made up of five members, including the superintendent of schools, one member of the Board of Education, two Teacher of the Year winners from the previous year, and one parent-at-large from the Athens City Schools system. The selection process is anonymous and meritocratic.The 2024 Teachers of the Year were announced in September. The Athens City Schools Foundation looks forward to celebrating each teacher and their accomplishments at the annual Gratitude Banquet* on Tuesday, November 12.
2024 ACS TEACHERS OF THE YEAR
VERONICA BREAKFIELD
iAcademy at Athens Elementary
MELISSA PENIA
FAME Academy at Brookhill
HANNAH BUCHANAN
SPARK Academy at Cowart
BROOKE HUMPHRIES
HEART Academy at Julian Newman
STUART DUNCAN
Athens Intermediate School
BETH HORN
Athens Middle School
AMANDA GUDMUNDSSON
Athens High School
HOLLY HARGROVE
Athens Renaissance School
SUMMER NEELY
Renaissance Virtual School
Purpose
The Teacher of the Year Program seeks annually to honor and recognize excellence in the teaching profession by identifying outstanding Alabama classroom teachers at local, district, and state levels.
Duties
The Alabama Teacher of the Year serves as a full-time ambassador for the teaching profession for one year by speaking to civic and professional organizations, K-12 schools, colleges and universities; conducting workshops for teachers; and writing newspaper and magazine articles.
Eligibility
The Alabama Teacher of the Year Program is open to any public school certified classroom teacher, librarian, counselor, or other certified individuals whose major responsibility is to work with children in a K-12 setting and provide learning opportunities to meet the academic goals and graduation requirements set by the Alabama State Board of Education. Individuals must be selected by the faculty at the participating school and serve in a capacity for which they hold proper certification.
Selection Process
The selection process for the Alabama Teacher of the Year begins at the school level with the selection of a Teacher of the Year to represent each school. Each nominee is then interviewed by a system-level committee that selects an Elementary (K-6) and Secondary (7-12) Teacher to represent the school system. Those two winners are then forwarded to the Alabama State Department of Education where they compete with other teachers from across the state for the Alabama Teacher of the Year Award.
Volunteer
The Teacher of the Year Gratitude Banquet is made possible by the dedication of a volunteer board of directors and community members. The Athens City Schools Foundation is always looking for helping hands. The banquet presents a great opportunity for those with talents in decorating, hospitality and entertainment. However, all volunteers are welcome and appreciated! If you have a heart for service, The Foundation has a place for you. To donate your time and talents to the Teacher of the Year Gratitude Banquet, please contact the us at foundation@acs-k12.org.
The Athens City Schools Foundation Board of Directors at the 2023 banquet