AMERICUS — Congratulations are in order; Selena Wallace is the 2019 Sumter County Teacher of the Year!
Wallace received the honor earlier this, during a special reception held at Sumter County Intermediate School. Teachers from the six schools in Sumter County and Furlow Charter School were recognized as finalists for Teacher of the Year honors. Those teachers are: Allison Morrison, Sumter County Primary; Kimberly Griffin, Sumter County Elementary; Selena Wallace, Sumter County Intermediate; Aisha Evans, Sumter County Middle; Jeanne Griggs, Americus-Sumter Ninth Grade Academy; Barbara Baisden Mitchell, Americus-Sumter High; and Mandy Butler, Furlow Charter School.
The cafeteria was filled with smiling faces during the annual event. Superintendent Torrance Choates welcomed the attendees and invited them to enjoy the refreshments while meeting and greeting the honorees and their families.
The ceremony began with Walter Knighton, associate superintendent, stating the district mission and congratulating each of the school’s representatives. Jay Umpleby, 2018 Teacher of the Year, stated that being named District Teacher of the Year was an honor, but the real honor was being named by your peers to represent them.
The honorees were recognized by the principal and presented with flowers and a gift from Rick Whaley of Citizen Bank of Americus. Choates then announced the representative from Furlow Charter School, Mandy Butler and the Sumter County School’s Teacher of the Year, Selena Wallace. This was Wallace’s fourth time being chosen by her peers.
Choates would thanks the board members who attended, Jim Reid, Sylvia Roland, Edith Ann Green and Media Krenson. He also expresses his appreciation to Whaley for his continued support and generous donation. Citizens Bank of Americus has been a long-time supporter of education in Sumter County and is a valued Partner in Education.
Each school’s Teacher of the Year completes and submits an application packet that is based on Georgia’s Teacher of the Year program application. A panel selected from retired educators and members of the Georgia Southwestern State University School of Education staff judges and rate all items in the application. The score sheets are tallied to determine Sumter County School’s system wide Teacher of the Year. That individual’s application will be submitted into the competition of Georgia’s Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations to all the teacher representatives for Sumter County.