Semifinalists Named for Gwinnett Teacher of the Year

Gwinnett County Public Schools announced today the names of 25 semifinalists in the running for the district's 2012 Teacher of the Year award.

The group of 15 elementary, five middle, and five high school teachers (including two teachers from Snellville-area schools) was selected from the initial list of 129 local school Teachers of the Year. Their school colleagues nominated the teachers.

A selection committee — made up of teachers, central office personnel, and administrators — will now consider the semifinalists’ applications and answers to a set of additional questions to determine six finalists. Committee members will then make site visits to the classrooms of the six finalists and conduct thorough interviews with each educator.

During the classroom visit, the committee members will look for original teaching methods, study the teacher’s teaching philosophy, review special class projects the teacher has initiated, and consider the influence the teacher has had on the teaching practices of his/her colleagues. They also will review each teacher’s educational
degrees and civic activities.

Based on their findings, committee members will select an elementary, middle, and a high school Teacher of the Year from the field of six finalists.

The 2012 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year will be announced at special, annual banquet held Nov. 4, 2011, at the in Duluth.

Once named, the 2012 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year will compete to become Georgia’s Teacher of the Year.

Teacher of the Year semifinalists by level are:
Elementary Level:

• Mike Stanton of Bethesda Elementary-- 4th Grade Teacher
• Nicole Kidwell of Jenkins Elementary-- English to Speakers of Other
• Languages, Acceleration, and Transition Teacher (Grades 4 and 5) and Instructional Coach (Grades 1, 4-5)
• Brenda Jones of Lawrenceville Elementary-- Literacy Coach (Grades K-5)
• Theresa Wiist of Level Creek Elementary-- Special Education Teacher, Autism (Grades 3-5)
• Logan M. Flint of Monarch School-- Special Education Teacher - Autism (ADAPT)
• Kristen Gadd Williams of Mountain Park Elementary -- Kindergarten Teacher
• Brittany Palazzo of Mulberry Elementary-- 3rd Grade Teacher
• Allison Askew of Patrick Elementary-- 5th Grade Teacher
• Cathy Clements Kreimer of Peachtree Elementary-- 5th Grade Teacher
• Jennifer Dunn of -- 5th Grade Teacher
• Angie Hoffman of Puckett’s Mill Elementary-- 5th Grade Teacher - Language Arts
• Julie Hipple of Riverside Elementary-- Special Education Teacher - Severe and Profound Intellectual Disabilities (Grades K-5)
• Christa Ulbrandt Webb of Rock Springs Elementary-- 4th Grade Teacher
• Mary Butler of Rockbridge Elementary-- Special Education Teacher - Moderate Autism (Grades K-2)
• Candace Swords of -- 1st Grade Teacher

Middle School Level:

• Jennifer Jankauskas of Creekland Middle-- Language Arts Teacher (Grade 8)
• Keri Beth Tidmore Jones of Dacula Middle-- Computer Science and Yearbook Teacher (Grades 6-8)
• Janelle Wilson of Lanier Middle-- Science Teacher (Grade 6)
• Lou Reynolds of McConnell Middle-- Mathematics Teacher (Grade 8)
• Sarah Black of North Gwinnett Middle-- Orchestra Teacher (Grades 6-8)

High School Level:

• Tara Termes of Collins Hill High-- Biology and Forensic Science Teacher (Grades 9-12)
• Jeff Burmester of Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology-- AP Physics Teacher (Grades 11-12)
• Aundrea Muth of Mill Creek High-- Political Systems and AP Government Teacher (Grade 12)
• Jim Stewart of North Gwinnett High-- Media Specialist and Local School Technology Coordinator (Grades 9-12)
• Lindsey Cafarella of Peachtree Ridge High-- World History Teacher (Grade 10)