The Clarke County School District is pleased to announce the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year and Support Professional of the Year for each of its schools and academic program campuses that had eligible candidates according to the district’s selection criteria. CCSD received nearly 700 award nominations from staff, students, and families across the district, and winners were voted on by their school’s faculty and staff. 

From this group, a district-wide Teacher of the Year and Support Professional of the Year will be selected and announced Oct. 23 at CCSD’s annual Teacher of the Year and Support Professional of the Year awards banquet. The district Teacher of the Year will then advance to compete at the state level. 

CCSD is once again partnering with the Foundation for Excellence in Public Education in Clarke County (FFE) to honor each school’s winners. The FFE will also present its annual Mae M. Whatley Teacher of the Year and Janis J. Stephens Support Professional of the Year awards to the district winners. In addition, CCSD is pleased to announce Robins Financial Credit Union as the presenting sponsor for this year’s Teacher of the Year program and Georgia United Credit Union as the presenting sponsor for the Support Professional of the Year program.

“Congratulations to all in this outstanding group of teachers and support professionals who have been selected by their peers to represent their schools for the 2025-2026,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott. “These individuals serve as CCSD ambassadors both in our buildings and throughout the community and, as such, exemplify the highest level of commitment to our district’s call of ‘raising the bar in pursuit of excellence.’”

All school-level winners listed below will be featured on CCSD’s Facebook and Instagram pages over the next several weeks, leading up to the announcement of the three district Teacher of the Year finalists in early October. Each finalist will be further spotlighted on social media in advance of the Oct. 23 awards banquet and winner announcements.

School-level Teachers of the Year

• Barnett Shoals Elementary - Timothy Pritchett, third grade

• Barrow Elementary - Adrienne White, kindergarten

• Bettye H. Holston Elementary - Donna Moseley, kindergarten EIP

• Cleveland Road Elementary - Carla Williams, kindergarten

• Fowler Drive Elementary - Samantha Yvellez, second grade

• Gaines Elementary - Abby Gattie, kindergarten

• Howard B. Stroud Elementary - Leneria Bradley, third-grade special education

• J.J. Harris Elementary - Brooke Atherholt, first grade

• Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary - Andrea Crawford-Pritchett, pre-K

• Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary - Megan Garcia, kindergarten

• Timothy Road Elementary - Brittania Moody, third grade

• Whit Davis Elementary - Amy Walker, fifth-grade special education

• Whitehead Road Elementary - Christelle Duncan, ESOL

• Winterville Elementary - LaVerne Fortson, fifth-grade special education

• Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle - Cristy Campbell, sixth-grade special education

• Clarke Middle - Brian Dressel, eighth-grade special education

• Coile Middle - Jasmine Curry, eighth-grade social studies

• Hilsman Middle - Ryan Landaverde, ESOL

• Cedar Shoals High - Stephanie Lewis, special education

• Clarke Central High - Juanita Nash, special education

• Athens Community Career Academy - Stacey Scott, special education

• Early Learning Center West - Tamara Sturgeon, pre-K

School-level Support Professionals of the Year

• Barnett Shoals Elementary - Brian Smith, behavior interventionist

• Barrow Elementary - Barbara Black, custodian

• Bettye H. Holston Elementary - Tamara Ware, Communities in Schools site coordinator

• Cleveland Road Elementary - Jill Griffin, school nutrition manager

• Fowler Drive Elementary - Destini Jennings, classroom paraprofessional

• Gaines Elementary - Tracey Spidle, receptionist

• Howard B. Stroud Elementary - Richelle Burton, receptionist

• J.J. Harris Elementary - Phyllis Morris-Brooks, classroom paraprofessional

• Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary - Natalie Keadle, school nurse

• Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary - Celina Dorfman, classroom paraprofessional

• Timothy Road Elementary - Bobby Bales, custodian

• Whit Davis Elementary - Cheyron Haley, classroom paraprofessional

• Whitehead Road Elementary - Tracy McIntyre, classroom paraprofessional, After-school Program coordinator

• Winterville Elementary - Jemet Perry, family engagement specialist

• Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle - LaTara Lester, bookkeeper

• Clarke Middle - Matthew Fayoyin, restorative justice specialist

• Coile Middle - Tyvee Porter, bookkeeper

• Hilsman Middle - George Bailey, custodian

• Cedar Shoals High - Arnulfo Flores, receptionist

• Clarke Central High - Lawanna Knight, special education multi-classroom leader

• Classic City High - Nina Forest, academic interventionist

• Athens Community Career Academy - Whitney Lowe, receptionist

• Early Learning Center East - Tabitha Green, Early Head Start/Head Start program assistant 

• Early Learning Center West - Emelissa Padilla, receptionist.