Clarke Central High School Multi-Classroom Leader and 2023-24 Teacher of the Year, Brad Williford, works with one student in Geometry in Room 134 on Nov. 28, 2023. The Teacher of the Year selection process was changed this year to welcome nominations from those outside of Clarke County School District faculty. “I like the idea that communities, students and families can nominate teachers,” Teacher of the Year Building Selection Committee Chair Dr. Summer Smith said. “(Students) are the consumers of the teaching and the learning that goes on (at CCHS), and (they) have a direct view of good quality teaching in classrooms.” Photo by Aza Khan
A new system for the CCSD Teacher of the Year competition has been implemented, emphasizing nominees’ philosophy and classroom impact.
With nominations for the Clarke County School District Teacher of the Year competition complete as of Aug. 8, a new process for the annual competition is underway.
In the past, teachers could only be nominated by CCSD faculty. However, this year, nominations are open to students, families and community members via Google Form. Like previous years, nominated teachers must meet certain requirements, such as not winning the TOTY in the last three years, being a certified educator and working at their current school for at least three years, to be eligible to progress to the next round.
“(Teachers) have to meet certain qualifications, and if (they do), then we put out a whole list of everybody in the school (who meets the criteria), and then teachers just voted (from that list),” TOTY Building Selection Committee Chair Dr. Summer Smith said. “(This year), it shifted. (The CCSD) wanted to change (the competition) to be open to more nominations, so the community can nominate. It’s not just, ‘Do people know me, so they’ll vote for me?’”
“Te (new) process allows for (staff) to get to know fellow teachers. (They) hear from kids what other teachers do, but (they) don’t really get to see it in action.”
— Dr. Summer Smith,
TOTY Building Selection Committee Chair
In addition to changes in the nomination process, this year’s TOTY nominees were asked to articulate their teaching philosophy, professional memberships and how they engage in impactful teaching, providing deeper insight for an informed voting process for CCSD staff members.
“I remember the first time I ever voted for a (TOTY contest) here (in CCSD) when I was young,” Smith, who has worked in the CCSD for 23 years, said. “I thought to myself, ‘I don’t know what these people do in their classrooms, because I’m busy doing it in my own classroom.’ I think the (new) process allows for (staff) to get to know fellow teachers. (They) hear from kids what other teachers do, but (they) don’t really get to see it in action.”
This year, all nominees’ applications were submitted to Smith and fellow TOTY Selection Committee member Christian Barner by Aug. 18, who then shared them with the CCHS staff to read. For Clarke Central High School English department teacher Meg Vanderbilt, welcoming nominations from non-faculty is an improvement to the system.
“They’re stakeholders, they are part of the community, too. I got an email from Dr. Summer Smith saying that I was actually nominated,” Vanderbilt said. “I don’t think I would have been nominated if it weren’t for those outside stakeholders, like students and parents. I think (the changes) give different people opportunities to be recognized.”
