Teacher credits instructional coach and staff after Educator of the Year win

Mrs. Heron, a teacher and recipient of the Educator of the Year award, said she did not expect to win and credited school colleagues and students for the recognition.

"I did not think I won," Mrs. Heron said, describing how Principal Dr. Wallace called her the day of the ceremony to ask her to help supervise students in the lunchroom. "When we went into the auditorium, they announced, Mrs. Heron, which I was so overjoyed. Whenever they announced my name, I was just" — she said she "teared up" — "I was so happy."

The remarks focused on Dr. Sumner, whom Mrs. Heron identified as the school's AIC. "We totally won the jackpot with having Dr. Sumner as our AIC," she said. "She is so passionate about supporting us individually as teachers and as people and will do everything she can to make sure we have everything we need."

Mrs. Heron described specific ways Dr. Sumner supports teachers, saying she points out areas for growth while highlighting strengths, co-teaches, mentors, and advocates for staff. "Dr. Sumner goes above and beyond the call of duty. She's a team player. She advocates for us. She co-teaches. She mentors," Mrs. Heron said. She recounted an instance in which Dr. Sumner taught a static electricity lesson in "Miss Marybeth's class," noting Sumner's classroom control and ability to let students work independently.

On teacher well-being, Mrs. Heron said Dr. Sumner urged her to take breaks. "There'll be days where I will come to school every day, back to back to back, stay after school every day, and Dr. Sumner, she would look at me, she would say, you need a break. You need to take a rest. You need to go home."

She also highlighted Dr. Sumner's focus on ensuring student comprehension: "[She] makes sure it's every student when she's teaching, make sure every student understands the concept. And if they don't, then she takes time to 1 on 1 teach them and make sure that they actually get it. That way, like, nobody's left behind."

Mrs. Heron closed by attributing the award to people across the school: "I can definitely attribute winning Educator of the Year to my students and my staff, my teachers, our support staff, the leadership team. This, I mean, this is a tribute to them because I would not have been recognized without all the work that everyone does in this building."