NEWS RELEASES 2007-08
NEWS RELEASES 2007-08NINE TEACHERS HONORED AS REGIONAL TEACHERS OF THE YEAR; TEACHERS TO COMPETE FOR STATEWIDE HONOR
Nine teachers were recently selected to represent their regions and charter schools as regional Teachers of the Year and will now compete for the title of 2008-09 North Carolina Teacher of the Year. The winner will succeed the 2007-08 Teacher of the Year, James Bell, an eighth grade English teacher at Chowan Middle School, Edenton-Chowan Public Schools.
The regional teachers of the year are:
| REGION | TEACHER | SCHOOL | COUNTY |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Central | Paige Elliott | Fuquay-Varina High | Wake County Schools |
| Northeast | Sonya Rinehart | John A. Holmes High | Edenton-Chowan Public Schools |
| Northwest | Janice Raper | Hurley Elementary | Rowan-Salisbury Schools |
| Southeast | Ruth Parker | Clinton High | Clinton City Schools |
| Southwest | Bernard Waugh | Kannapolis Intermediate | Kannapolis City Schools |
| Sandhills/South Central | Trisha Muse | Page Street Elementary | Montgomery County Schools |
| Piedmont-Triad/Central | Cindi Rigsbee | Gravelly Hill Middle | Orange County Schools |
| West | Renee Peoples | West Elementary | Swain County Schools |
| Charter Schools | Freida Baker | East Wake Academy | Wake County |
"You need look no further than these nine individuals to know why so many of our students are doing so well in our public schools," State Superintendent June Atkinson said. "I congratulate them and wish them the best as they represent the state's public schools on the Teacher of the Year team."
Each of the regional teachers of the year will receive a one-time stipend of $5,000 and a trip to a national conference. They also will serve on the 2008-09 Teacher of the Year team. The 2008-09 Teacher of the Year will be announced April 29 at a dinner and awards ceremony.
North Carolina has recognized outstanding teachers through its Teacher of the Year program since 1970. This is the first year that a teacher has been selected to represent charter schools. For more information, please go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/recruitment/recognition/toy/ or contact the NCDPI's Communications division at 919.807.3450.
About the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction:
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides leadership to 115 local public school districts and 107 charter schools serving over 1.4 million students in kindergarten through high school graduation. The agency is responsible for all aspects of the state's public school system and works under the direction of the North Carolina State Board of Education.
For more information:
NCDPI Communications and Information, 919.807.3450.