2010-2011 AT&T NC Teacher of the Year: Week of December 13

2010-2011 AT&T NC Teacher of the Year Team

From Left to Right: Vann Lassiter (Northeast Region) • René Herrick (North Central Region) • Courtney Davis (Piedmont-Triad/Central Region) • Amber Alford Watkins (Sandhills/South Central Region) • Joy Jenkins (Northwest Region) • Dorothy Case (West Region) • Jennifer Facciolini (Southeast Region) • David Dahari (Southwest Region) • Stuart Miles (Charter Schools) For more information on any team member or on the AT&T North Carolina Teacher of the Year Program, please click the photograph below.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Week of December 13

Snow, ice and a flat tire made for an interesting week! I began the week in the office on Monday catching up on journals, articles and other fun research! Brandon Patterson, Assistant Director of Recruitment and Development at NCDPI, was on the road again. This time he was off to Elizabeth City/Pasquotank to make a special regional announcement. Congratulations to Suzanne Sanders, a math teacher at River Road Middle School, for being named the Northeast Regional Teacher of the Year! Enjoy every minute of this journey! It is truly amazing!

On Tuesday morning, I had the opportunity to visit Moore County to announce the South Central/Sandhills Regional Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to Marci Houseman, a music teacher at West Pine Middle School! As we hid behind the stage to make the surprise announcement, the students were giving a holiday concert. Wow! How impressive. I also had the opportunity to hear the DRUM students. How fantastic!!

After I left Marci's school, I enjoyed lunch with my college roommate. I enjoyed catching up and meeting her youngest daughter Stella. After lunch, I prepare myself for the long drive to Asheville. Thump...Thud...Thump...flat tire! Oh joy!! I had to use my GPS to figure out where I was! I had lost track of the counties I had driven through already! At least is was during the day and I was warm inside the car! Finally I am towed away and repaired and on the road again! I finally get into Asheville (yes, it was snow covered) and checked in to my hotel around 10. The next morning, Buncombe County was out of school due to inclement weather and I then enjoyed my beautiful drive back home to find an ice storm on its way to my house!

I was iced in on Thursday and was not able to attend the announcement of another Regional Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to Gaston County's Thomas Plecnik! Mr. Plecnik is a fifth grade teacher at Rhyne Elementary School. I am truly sorry that I missed your announcement and I look forward to meeting you soon!

Friday's announcements were also rescheduled due to inclement weather, so I enjoyed the day observing teachers at Midway High! I also love being back "home."