Blount County Schools recognize teachers of the year and four reward schools

Blount County Schools recognized district teachers of the year, specialty teacher honorees and four schools designated as Tennessee "reward schools" during the meeting's mission moment.

Jan Davis was named elementary teacher of the year for Porter Elementary School; Anissa Hudson was named middle school teacher of the year for Union Grove Middle; Jordan Conley was named high school teacher of the year for William Blunt High School. The district also recognized a novice teacher category (roOKIE teacher of the year) winner, Paxton Robinette of Prospect Elementary School; the principal of the year (Josh Tidwell of Heritage Middle School, not present); Special Education Teacher of the Year Becky Dearing; district-level instruction award to Heather Martin; speech and language teacher Rebecca Barr; and ESL teacher Hope Hickson.

Assistant Director Jake Jones presented reward-school recognitions and checks. He said the designation honors schools for academic achievement, academic growth and chronic absenteeism outcomes: "Schools receiving reward school status have achieved success in academic achievement, academic growth and in chronic absenteeism." The four schools recognized were Carpenters Elementary School (its fourth time being designated a Tennessee reward school), Heritage High School (third time), Porter Elementary School (third time), and Samuel Everett School of Innovation (third time). The board and district staff posed for presentations and photos during the meeting.

Board members and the director encouraged community members to attend upcoming school events and congratulated staff and students on the recognitions.