Teacher of the Year Awards

Harrington Bank was proud to sponsor the awards for the CHCCS Teacher of the Year and the two honor Teachers of the Year. Read on to see highlights from the 28th annual CHCCS Recognition Reception.

Takiyah Baptist, a kindergarten teacher at Ephesus Elementary, was named CHCCS Teacher of the Year at tonight's Recognition Reception.

Baptist has been teaching for seven years. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in Professional English from NC A&T University and a bachelor of science degree in Elementary Education, also from NC A&T. Baptist received a $1,000 check from Harrington Bank and gifts from local businesses.

Two honor teachers also were selected. They are: Denise Shaw of Frank Porter Graham Elementary and Hans Hiemstra of East Chapel Hill High School. They both received checks for $500 from Harrington Bank and gifts from local businesses.

The Teacher of the Year and Honor Teachers were selected from a pool of 17 teachers-one from each of the schools in the district. Teachers of the Year from the schools are: Tate Little, Carrboro Elementary; Steven Simmons, Estes Hills Elementary; Candace White, Glenwood Elementary; Amy Brande, McDougle Elementary; Crystal Epps, Morris Grove Elementary; Meg Johnson, Rashkis Elementary; Tamara Edmonds, Scroggs Elementary; Meredith Berry, Seawell Elementary; Rebecca Von Hoene, Culbreth Middle; Cissy O'Neal, McDougle Middle; Angela Short, Phillip Middle; Greta Moseley, Smith Middle; Sara Clay, Carrboro High; and Eric Stoffregen, Chapel Hill High. These teachers received checks for $100 from Harrington Bank and gifts from local businesses.

Award recognitions included: Emily Bivins, Carrboro Elementary, Principal of the Year; Lynne Goodhand, Culbreth Middle, Assistant Principal of the Year; Ruth Morgan, Ephesus Elementary, The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce Exceptional Children Student Services Staff of the Year Award in memory of Valeria Laws Daniels-Paddock; Kim Fearrington, Carrboro Elementary, Jeanette Blackwell Mentor Teacher Award; Caroline Carlson, Estes Hills Elementary, Exceptional Children's Award for Outstanding Contributions as a Teacher; Sean Grier, Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation Promising New Teacher Award; and Jim Ellis, Transportation Department, Mary Scroggs Award for Excellence in Providing Support Services.

Four staff members were honored for leadership in state or national organizations. They are: Beth Burns, Rashkis Elementary, President of NC Speech, Hearing and Language Association; Dianne Jackson, Glenwood Elementary, President of NC American Federation of Teachers; Debbie LaMay, East Chapel Hill High, President of Central Region of School Nurse Association of NC; and Darlene Ryan, Glenwood Elementary, Region C Director of the National Science Education Leadership Association.

Eight staff members were recognized for achieving state or national educational honors. They are: Lindsay Bedford, Ephesus Elementary, NC Autism Society Teacher of the Year; Boyd Blackburn, Smith Middle, Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Middle School Mathematics Teaching; Jeff Carpenter, Carrboro High, Teaching Excellence and Achievement Exchange Program, Stephanie Knott, Lincoln Center, Blue Ribbon Publications Award from the NC School Public Relations Association; Bill Melega, Chapel Hill High, VFW Citizenship Education Teacher Award; Stephanie Minter, Culbreth Middle, NC School Social Workers Association's School Social Worker of the Year; Robin Nucilli, Lincoln Center, Blue Ribbon Publications Award from the NC School Public Relations Association; and Darlene Ryan, Glenwood Elementary, Herman Gatling Award for Outstanding Science Education from the NC Science Teachers Association.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation presented its Teaching Chairs. Recipients are: Claire Nelson, Rashkis Elementary, Upper Elementary Chair for Excellence in Teaching Innovation; Kelly Allen, East Chapel Hill High, Elmo's Excellence in Teaching Mathematics or Science Chair; L.J. Randolph, Carrboro High, Elmo's Award for Excellence in Teaching English as a Second Language and World Language; Angela Kileff, Chapel Hill High, CHHS PTSA Humanities Chair; Fiona Rae, Culbreth Middle, Glaxo Award for Excellence in Teaching Middle School Science; Amanda Galvin, East Chapel Hill High, Neil Pedersen Teachers First Chair and Bernadine Sullivan Chair for Excellence in Teaching English; Jessica Benninger, Culbreth Middle, Zora Rashkis Teaching Chair in Middle School Language Arts; and Toni DeMarco, Morris Grove Elementary, Sockwell Chair for Excellence in Teaching in the Elementary Classroom.

Twenty-six employees were honored for their retirement from the district. Retirees include: Linda Justice, Estes Hills Elementary; Catherine Stevens, Estes Hills; Melissa Tukey, Frank Porter Graham Elementary; Nathan Hackney, McDougle Elementary; Lucille Campbell, Rashkis Elementary; Kathleen Donovan, Rashkis Elementary; Anne Loy, Scroggs Elementary; Grace Repass, Scroggs Elementary; Debra Gerhardt, McDougle Middle; Pam Jankowski, McDougle Middle; Nancy Kindem, McDougle Middle; Beth Bryan, Phillips Middle; Mary Harris, Phillips Middle; Lula Joyce, Phillips Middle; Karen Winstead, Phillips Middle; Carolyn Ramsey, Smith Middle; Paulette Scott, Smith Middle; Cindy Ammons, Chapel Hill High; Emily Banks, East Chapel Hill High; Beverly Brown, East Chapel Hill High; Marsha Cosgrove, East Chapel Hill High; Marilyn Mrozek, East Chapel Hill High; Elin Nagel, UNC Hospital School; Melvin Gattis, Transportation; Omiller Parker, Lincoln Center; and Susan Triplehorn, Lincoln Center.

Employees were honored for milestone years of service. Employees marking 30 years of service are: Earl Apple, Lincoln Center; Arlena Fuller, Seawell Elementary; Audrey Jarrett, Frank Porter Graham Elementary; Marjorie Lancaster, East Chapel Hill High; and Janet Ploghoft, McDougle Elementary.

Employees marking 25 years of service are: Karen Aldridge, Frank Porter Graham Elementary; Bob Brogden, East Chapel Hill High; Frank Camp, Smith Middle; Donna Gates, Culbreth Middle; Rhonda Hairston, McDougle Middle; Velinda Hatcher, Estes Hills Elementary; Letitia Johnson, Phillips Middle; Kathy Latta, Frank Porter Graham Elementary; Regina Seymore, Carrboro Elementary; Pamela Tedder, East Chapel Hill High; and May Zimmerman, Chapel Hill High.

Employees marking 20 years of service are: LeAnne Barber, McDougle Elementary; Roberta Barrett, Lincoln Center; Jeane Brumley, Phillips Middle; Sheila Carrington, Chapel Hill High; Debbie Collicutt, Ephesus Elementary; Cindy Dillehay, Lincoln Center; Judith Farley, UNC Hospital School; George Gilmer, McDougle Middle; Cornelia Johnson, Scroggs Elementary; Kathy MacKinnon, Seawell Elementary; Marsha O'Neal, Phillips Middle; Melissa Pearce, Estes Hills Elementary; Karen Reed, Morris Grove Elementary; and Kerry Sherrill, Carrboro Elementary.

Article provided by Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools