Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) has officially begun the search for its 2008-09 Teacher of the Year (TOTY), a selection process that begins with an impressive list of educators that were nominated by their peers. These 112 nominees were named the Teachers of the Year for their local schools. All local school honorees move on for consideration for the systemwide honor of GCPS 2008-09 Teacher of the Year.

“The Teacher of the Year recognition process is always one for celebration,” says Nikki Mouton, executive director for staff development. “As a system, we celebrate the talent and power of each Gwinnett teacher and all they do to challenge our students. We’re very lucky to have 11,000 dedicated educators, and through the TOTY recognition process, we have an opportunity to salute the best of the best.”

From this group of over 100 teachers, 20 semifinalists will be chosen in early October. Six finalists will then be named in mid-October. The annual Teacher of the Year banquet and the announcement of this year’s top teacher in Gwinnett County will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2008.

Here’s an overview of the selection process:

· Step 1 -- All teachers at each Gwinnett school nominate and vote for their local school Teacher of the Year.
· Step 2 -- The applications for all 112 school-level Teachers of the Year are screened and 20 semifinalists for the county-level are selected.
· Step 3 -- The 20 semifinalists’ applications are scored to determine the six finalists.
· Step 4 -- A selection committee-- made up of teachers, central office personnel, and administrators-- visits the classrooms of the six finalists and conducts thorough interviews with each educator. The committee looks for original teaching methods, studies the educator’s teaching philosophy, and reviews any special class projects the teacher has initiated.
· Step 5 -- From the six finalists, the committee will select a teacher of the year for each level-- elementary, middle, and high. One of the level winners will be recognized as GCPS’ 2008-09 Teacher of the Year.

2008-09 Local School Teachers of the Year (TOTYs)

SCHOOL NAME SUBJECT/GRADE
Alcova Elementary Tracy Kohler 2nd Grade Teacher
J.A. Alford Elementary Kerri Nagy 1st Grade Teacher
Annistown Elementary Michelle Bays 3rd Grade Teacher
Arcado Elementary Cindy B. Allen 5th Grade Teacher
Beaver Ridge Elementary Kara Lefevre Literacy Coach (Grades 3-5)
Benefield Elementary Margaret Patterson 2nd Grade Teacher
Berkeley Lake Elementary Lorraine Mack 4th Grade Teacher
Berkmar High Melissa Vitrano Mathematics Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Berkmar Middle Kimberly Griffin Social Studies Teacher (Grade 6)
Bethesda Elementary Jodi Sanchez Science Specials Teacher (Grades K-5)
W.C. Britt Elementary Sara Forrester 1st Grade Teacher
Brookwood Elementary Cheryl Cole 2nd Grade Teacher
Brookwood High LeAnn B. Hedrick Gifted Language Arts Teacher (Grade 9)
T. Carl Buice School Christi Wells Special Education Teacher (Pre-K)
Camp Creek Elementary Kathy Herrin 2nd Grade Teacher
Cedar Hill Elementary Carol Crew Kindergarten Teacher
Centerville Elementary Lori Bonn Mathematics Coach (Grades K-5)
Central Gwinnett High Peggy D. Todd Language Arts Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Chattahoochee Elementary Cheri Jones Science Specialist (Grades K-5)
Charles Brant Chesney Elementary Matthew Bartholomew Physical Education Teacher (Grades K-5)
Collins Hill High Ken B. Leach Biology & Oceanography
Teacher (Grades 9-12)
W.J. Cooper Elementary Krista K. Pruehs Kindergarten Teacher
Corley Elementary Jamie Nobles Media Specialist (Grades K-5)
Craig Elementary Penny Servies Special Education Teacher
(Emotional & Behavioral Disorder,
Self-Contained - Grades 4-5)
Creekland Middle Alexis Walsh Science Teacher (Grade 6)
Alton C. Crews Middle Frank Folds Band Teacher (Grades 6-8)
Dacula Elementary LaRon Perry 4th Grade Teacher
Dacula High Lesley Buchanan Language Arts Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Dacula Middle Dawn Easley Science Teacher (Grade 6)
Duluth High Bill EuDaly History, Psychology, & Sociology
Teacher (Grades 11-12)
Duluth Middle J.W. Mozley Mathematics Teacher (Grade 8)
Duncan Creek Elementary Pam Vaughan 3rd Grade Teacher
J.G. Dyer Elementary Meridith Frates Special Education Teacher (Speech/Language - Grades K-5)
Five Forks Middle Monica Grace Science Teacher (Grade 6)
Fort Daniel Elementary Joy Wolfe 5th Grade Teacher
Freeman's Mill Elementary Joshua Allen Farr Music Teacher (Grades 1-5)
GIVE Center East Mary Lou Moore Life Science Teacher (Grade 7) & Chemistry Teacher (Grade 10)
GIVE Center West Lonnie Duong Mathematics Teacher (Grade 7)
Grayson Elementary Christa Fernandez Kindergarten Teacher
Grayson High Robert O'Keefe Marketing Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Gwin Oaks Elementary Claire Collins 2nd Grade Teacher
Gwinnett School of Mathematics,
Science, and Technology Barbara Steele Spanish Teacher (Grades 9-10)
Harbins Elementary Lea Sirmans 3rd Grade Teacher

SCHOOL NAME SUBJECT/GRADE
Harmony Elementary Marcia Dupree Special Education Teacher
(Speech/Language - Grades K-5)
B.B. Harris Elementary Cindy Conley Kindergarten Teacher
R.D. Head Elementary Phillip Watson 5th Grade Teacher
G.H. Hopkins Elementary Lorin Murphy Literacy Coach (Grades 2 & 3)
Richard Hull Middle Dawn Ashby Social Studies Teacher (Grade 6)
Ivy Creek Elementary Kimberly Sharp Media Specialist (Grades K-5)
Jackson Elementary Jane Coldiron 2nd Grade Teacher
Glenn C. Jones Middle Dr. Tonya Millsap Band Teacher (Grades 6-8)
Kanoheda Elementary Aneila Sahaye 3rd Grade Teacher
Knight Elementary Judy Butkovich 1st Grade Teacher
Lanier Middle Ewanna Ishii Language Arts Teacher (Grade 6)
Lawrenceville Elementary Karlene Hamilton 4th Grade Teacher
Level Creek Elementary Kara Taylor 3rd Grade Teacher
Lilburn Elementary Nicole M. Lore 2nd Grade Teacher
Lilburn Middle Darlene Nails Gifted Mathematics Teacher
(Grades 6-8)
Lovin Elementary Elena Diaz Literacy Coach (Grades K-5)
J.C. Magill Elementary Shelley Bethel Mathematics Coach (Grades K-5)
Dr. M.H. Mason Jr. Elementary Amy Mock 1st Grade Teacher
Maxwell High School of
Technology Tony Shore Construction Teacher (Grades 11 & 12)
J.P. McConnell Middle Lynne Gant Spanish Teacher (Grades 6-8)
McKendree Elementary Mindy Kennedy 4th Grade Teacher
Meadowcreek Elementary Kathryn Funk 2nd Grade Teacher
Meadowcreek High Jimmie McKinley Band Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Mill Creek High Beth Autrey Family & Consumer Science Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Rebecca Minor Elementary Nancy Hurst 2nd Grade Teacher
Monarch School Grace King Special Education Teacher
(ADAPT Program)
Mountain Park Elementary Jennifer Pozo Lopez Language Arts Teacher (Grade 5)
Mulberry Elementary Sue Tavernier Reading Specialist (Grades K-5)
Nesbit Elementary Dr. Alicia Y. Jackson Science Specialist (Grades K-5)
Norcross Elementary Kia Henley Kindergarten Teacher
Norcross High Rudy Gilbert Band Teacher (Grades 9-12)
North Gwinnett High Michael Reilly Computer Science Teacher
(Grades 9-12)
R.L. Norton Elementary Zakia Slater Reading Recovery Teacher
Oakland Meadow School J. Dawn Smith Special Education (Severe Emotional & Behavioral Disorder - Grade 5)
Frank N. Osborne Middle Gretchen Galvin Special Education Teacher (Speech/Language - Grades 6-8)
Parkview High Robert Patrick, Jr. Latin Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Parsons Elementary Bonnie Little 4th Grade Teacher
Henry Partee Elementary Roberta Morrow Literacy Coach (Grades K-5)
Patrick Elementary Amy L. Cook Music Teacher (Grades K-5)
Peachtree Elementary Lauren Held 5th Grade Teacher
Peachtree Ridge High Dr. Barbara Reed Science Teacher (Grades 9-12)
Pharr Elementary Nancy Powell Kindergarten & 1st Grade Teacher
Phoenix High Todd Shultz Social Studies Teacher (Grades 9-12)

SCHOOL NAME SUBJECT/GRADE
Pinckneyville Middle Marie Andrade English to Speakers of Other Languages Teacher (Grades 7-8)
Puckett's Mill Elementary Melissa Stanton Mathematics Specialist (Grades K-5)
Louise Radloff Middle Maya Kirk Language Arts Teacher (Grade 7)
J.E. Richards Middle Kristopher Kasler Special Education Teacher (Orthopedic Impairment, Self-Contained - Grades 6-8)
Riverside Elementary Melanie Willis Kindergarten Teacher
Rock Springs Elementary Jennifer Herrod 5th Grade Teacher
(Language Arts, Writing, & Science)
Rockbridge Elementary Vicki King Reading Specialist (Grades K-5)
Rosebud Elementary Amy Bledsoe Early Intervention Program Teacher & Literacy Coach (Grades K-5)
Shiloh Elementary Ginger McPheeters Kindergarten Teacher
Shiloh High Andie Derricho Language Arts Teacher (Grade 9)
Shiloh Middle John Seay Journalism Teacher
(Connections, Grades 6-8)
Simonton Elementary Joy Allen 3rd Grade Teacher
Simpson Elementary Maria Dausch Kindergarten Teacher
Snellville Middle Susan Burton Social Studies Teacher (Grade 7)
South Gwinnett High Shawn Carter AP Language Arts Teacher
(Grades 11 & 12)
Susan Stripling Elementary Alan Hochbaum Gifted Education Teacher (Grades K-5)
Sugar Hill Elementary Allison Callahan Reading Intervention Teacher
(Grades 1-3)
Summerour Middle Sherema Lewis Language Arts Teacher (Grade 6)
Suwanee Elementary Adrianne Hayes 1st Grade Teacher
Sweetwater Middle Lois Bean Gifted Language Arts &
Social Studies Teacher (Grade 6)
Sycamore Elementary Nancy Fuhrman Mathematics Specialist (Grades K-5)
K.E. Taylor Elementary Beverly Klein Science Specialist (Grades K-5)
Trickum Middle Aimee Burgamy Art Teacher (Grades 6-8)
Trip Elementary Janelle Jones 1st Grade Teacher
Walnut Grove Elementary Melissa Poynter 3rd Grade Teacher
Margaret Winn Holt Elementary Monica Ball Special Education Teacher
(Interrelated Resource - Grades 3-5)

Note: Special entities Buchanan High School of Technology and Hooper Renwick did not select a TOTY.