Regional NC Teachers of the Year Named

Nine teachers have been selected to represent their regions and charter schools as the state’s regional Teachers of the Year and will now compete for the title of 2015 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year. The winner will succeed the 2014 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year James E. Ford, a World History teacher at Garinger High School (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools).

North Carolina Regional Teachers of the Year are

Region 1: Jami Dickerson, Eastern Elementary (Pitt County Schools);
Region 2: Joshua Gaskill, Pamlico County High (Pamlico County Schools);
Region 3: Jeremy Tucker, James B. Hunt High (Wilson County Schools);
Region 4: Mariel Barker Sellars, East Columbus High (Columbus County Schools);
Region 5: JoAnna Massoth, Chatham Middle (Chatham County Schools);
Region 6: Jennifer Whitley, Forest Hills High (Union County Schools);
Region 7: Keana Triplett, Ashe County High (Ashe County Schools);
Region 8: Randy Pressley, Tuscola High (Haywood County Schools); and
Charter Schools: Elizabeth Padgett, Lake Norman Charter (Mecklenburg County).

“Thanks to the Burroughs Wellcome Fund we can give due recognition to nine outstanding teachers who are setting the bar for instructional excellence in our public school classrooms,” State Superintendent June Atkinson said. “These teachers well represent the 95,000 public school teachers working hard every day to ensure our students graduate ready to succeed in life. They will contribute much to our state during their service on the 2015 North Carolina Teacher of the Year team.”

The 2015 North Carolina Teacher of the Year will be announced April 7 at an awards ceremony in Cary.

North Carolina has recognized outstanding teachers through its Teacher of the Year program since 1970. For more information on North Carolina’s Teacher of the Year recognition program, visit 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 126 charter schools serving over 1.5 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 Communication and Information Division, 919.807.3450.