She strives to inspire her current students to see the value of being lifelong learners.” Sarah Rigdon used those words to describe Mandy Housley when she introduced the Teachers of the Year representing Fannin County’s five schools.
Rigdon, the school system’s deputy superintendent, introduced Housley, Amanda Thomas, Stacy Herndon, Alex Whitener, and Tiffany Brown at the beginning of the Teacher of the Year Banquet Tuesday, September 13.
Housley went on to be named the system’s Teacher of the Year and Whitener was chosen as the runner up.
Housley will now represent Fannin County in statewide Teacher of the Year competition.
Announcing the winner, School Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney said Housley represents how, “The impact of a teacher changes lives.”
Gwatney put a strong emphasis on the roles all teachers play.
He said teaching, “is the only profession through which every other profession must pass. The teacher is the heart of our education system.”
Gwatney explained that after the Teachers of the Year were selected by their peers at their individual schools they went through a vetting process by Pioneer RESA to determine the Teacher of the Year.
Members of the school board took the opportunity offered at the banquet to praise the teachers in attendance and those throughout the system as well.
Bobby Bearden said he saw, “love, compassion, dedication and determination,” among the Teachers of the Year, traits he sees among all Fannin teachers who are the “best teachers in Georgia.”
Lewis DeWeese said, “I believe in miracles and believe teachers create them in the classroom,” as he talked about his own experiences.
Chad Galloway thanked teachers because, “you lay the foundation.”
Board Chairman Terry Bramlett, saying all teachers are winners, emphasized, “The real winners are our children.”
Housley is officially named the Teacher of the Year for 2024, the year for which she will seek the title at the state level.