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.