Pictured, top row from L-R: Leslie Harrell-Tumlin, Belita Hamilton, Wanda Brown-Cook; Dr. Kathy Augustine; Ann Cramer.
Middle row, from L-R: Urban Youth Harp Ensemble; various school teachers of the year; Tamara Cotman with Leslie Tumlin.
Bottom row, from L-R: Belita Hamilton; Randolph Bynum and Wanda Brown-Cook; Hilaire Anelone and Belita Hamilton.
UPDATE: Watch multi-media coverage including videos and photos here. Learn more about Belita Hamilton here, Leslie Harrell-Tumlin here and Wanda Brown-Cook here.
Atlanta Public Schools honored its 2010-11 three grade-level teachers of the year with a ceremony held Tuesday night at South Atlanta Educational Complex — with Brown Middle School math and science teacher Belita Hamilton winning the overall 2010-11 APS Teacher of the Year honor. (Watch her acceptance speech here.) Leslie Harrell-Tumlin, a fourth-grade teacher at Warren T. Jackson Elementary, was honored as the Elementary School Teacher of the Year; Hamilton was honored as the Middle School Teacher of the Year; and Wanda Brown-Cook, an English teacher at Carver’s School of the Arts, was honored as the High School Teacher of the Year.
As APS Teacher of the Year for 2010-11, Hamilton automatically becomes a candidate for Georgia Teacher of the Year, which will be decided later in the school year. Outside of the classroom, Hamilton coaches the award-winning Brown Middle School cheerleaders.
“Congratulations to the teachers of the year from every school and to the three finalists for district-wide teacher of the year,” said APS Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Kathy Augustine. “Thank you for looking our students in the eyes and making a difference in how they see the world and for using your unique power today to shape what they will become tomorrow.”
Catalina Sibilsky of APS’ Department of Learning Excellence presided over the ceremonies. The South Atlanta Educational Complex’s Color Guard presented the colors. Ann Cramer of the IBM Corporation served as keynote speaker. Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction Dr. Kathy Augustine introduced the keynote speaker. The Urban Youth Harp Ensemble, directed by Carolyn Lund of Carver’s School of the Arts, performed at the event. The Atlanta Board of Education was represented by Chair Khaatim Sherrer El, Courtney English (who delivered greetings), Yolanda K. Johnson and Cecily Harsch-Kinnane.
The Teacher of the Year selection process is a rigorous one. Each teacher is nominated and selected by their peers from the school l evel. They’re required to submit a packet where they respond in writing to the following subjects — philosophy of education, discuss current issues and trends in education — describe how to improve the teaching profession, list their involvement in professional-development activities, and explain how they would serve as spokesperson for APS Teacher of the Year. They’re screened at the School Reform Team level and are interviewed at the semifinalist and finalist phases. The last phase of the process is a classroom observation and a personal interview by central level staff members.
Each APS grade-level Teacher of the Year received tributes from some of their students as well as their SRT executive director at the ceremony. Tumlin received a tribute from Jackson Elementary students Claire Hadley Benton and Kourtney Tate as well as SRT-4 Executive Director Tamara Cotman. Hamilton received a tribute from Brown Middle students Seleema Gonzalez, Dwight Showers and DeVaughn Davis as well as SRT-1 Executive Director Sharon Davis Williams. Brown-Cook received a tribute from Carver School of the Arts students Taylor Jackson and Brooklyn Fite as well as Office of High Schools Executive Director Randolph Bynum.
Shirley Wright of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators presented the finalists with $100 gift certificates. Representatives from Coca-Cola Bottling Company provided engraved plaques to each Teacher of the Year throughout the district. School Box, Inc. gave $25 gift cards to the finalists. The Target Corporation provided each Teacher of the Year with a $50 gift card.
Complete list of the individual teachers of the year, by school reform team and then grade level, after the jump …