Educators at all 49 Rutherford County schools recently voted on this year’s group of Teachers of the Year, while district-level administrators selected the grade-band Teachers of the Year to represent the county at the regional level.
Susan Wilson was chosen as the districtwide elementary teacher of the year; Brandon Deal was chosen at the middle school level and Elisa Burks was selected at the high school level.
Wilson is a music teacher at McFadden School of Excellence, Deal is a social studies teacher at Siegel Middle and Burks is an English teacher at Blackman High. The three have a combined 67 years of service in Rutherford County, including the 34 years Wilson has taught music at McFadden.
“I consider my greatest achievement as an educator as contributing to the growth and scope of music education in Rutherford County,” Wilson said. “I now enjoy having former students as fellow music educators and performers, and I am thankful to have played a role in making the arts an important part of the curriculum in our county.”
Burks, who has been with the county for 17 years, also spoke about having a great sense of pride when it comes to former students.
“Every student letter and email that reveals that I am providing my students the tools for success in their college experiences,” said Burks, when asked about her own greatest achievement, “from Vanderbilt to Harvard, from Baylor to Brown, and even beyond into their careers.”
This year’s Teacher of the Year Reception will be held at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro on Wednesday, March 25, from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Following is the full list of 2019-2020 RCS Teachers of the Year:
- Barfield Elementary: Christi Brownlee
- Blackman Elementary: Kartina Butler
- Blackman High: Elisa Burks
- Blackman Middle: Krissa Seifert
- Brown’s Chapel Elementary: Julie Gray
- Buchanan Elementary: Kristen Birckholtz
- Cedar Grove Elementary: Elizabeth Cain
- Central Magnet: Adam J. Brooks
- Christiana Elementary: Kelly Patterson
- Christiana Middle: Valori Bonds
- Daniel-McKee: Matthew Jackson
- David Youree Elementary: Tiffany Staggs
- Eagleville: Valerie Stahr
- Holloway: Jennifer Williams
- Homer Pittard Campus: Dr. Amy Perry
- John Colemon Elementary: Suzy Quigley
- Kittrell Elementary: Jessica Bloom
- Lacassas Elementary: Marianne Chumley
- LaVergne High: William D. Jones
- LaVergne Lake: Stacia Mills
- LaVergne Middle: Shavaughn Archer
- LaVergne Primary: Bergen (Pendleton) Burdette
- McFadden School of Excellence: Susan Wilson
- Oakland High: Dr. LaToya T. Leavy
- Oakland Middle: Paige Hawkins
- Riverdale High: Angelina Hensley
- Rock Springs Elementary: Ashley Morgan
- Rock Springs Middle: Nicole Stirbens
- Rockvale Elementary: Christy A. Smith
- Rockvale High: Bart Dement
- Rockvale Middle: Rachel Butner
- Rocky Fork Elementary: Crystal Keel
- Rock Fork Middle: Kayla Anderson
- Roy Waldron Elementary: Robbie Ann Spicer
- Siegel High: Kenneth Mosier
- Siegel Middle: Brandon Deal
- Smyrna Elementary: Marion Head
- Smyrna High: Amy Kay Nickerson
- Smyrna Middle: Veronica Sydnor
- Smyrna Primary: Brady Seymore
- Smyrna West: Candace D. Taylor
- Stewarts Creek Elementary: Leah Stafford
- Stewarts Creek High: Amy Olt
- Stewarts Creek Middle: Kelly Young
- Stewartsboro Elementary: Tiffany Gannon
- Thurman Francis Arts Academy: Rosanna Heard
- Walter Hill Elementary: Sheri Guider
- Whitworth-Buchanan Middle: Dedrick Roberts
- Wilson Elementary: Cassie Urban
By KEITH RYAN CARTWRIGHT, Rutherford County Schools