WINNSBORO – Fairfield County School District named its
Teachers of the Year for the district’s eight schools as well as a District
Teacher of the Year during the annual convocation.
Crystal Whitaker, the Social Studies Department Chair at
Fairfield Central High, was named the Fairfeld School District Teacher of the
Year.
Whitaker, who is in her eighth year of teaching – six of
those at FCHS – teaches U. S. History and AP U.S. History
The other seven schools in the district are being
represented by their respective Teachers of the Year: Kerisha Camack
(McCrory-Liston School of Technology), Kimberly DeReef (Fairfield Magnet School
for Math & Science), Craig Jelks (Fairfield Middle School), Richard Johnson
(Fairfield Career & Technology Center), Bryan Simmons (Kelly Miller
Elementary School), Randall Sims (Fairfield Elementary School) and Lori
Yarborough (Geiger Elementary School).
Whitaker will be competing for the 2020 State Teacher of the Year.
Crystal Whitaker – Fairfield Central High School
Kerisha Camack – McCrorey-Liston School of Techology
Kimberly DeReef – Fairfield Magnet School for Math & Science
Craig Jelks – Fairfield Middle School
Richard Johnson – Fairfield Career & Technology Center
Blythewood High School principal Matt Sherman, left, State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman and Richland Two Superintendent Barron Davis, right, congratulate Sue Weems, center right, for being named a finalist for SC Teacher of the Year. | Barbara Ball
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood High School English teacher Sue Weems got a big surprise Tuesday morning when State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman made an unexpected stop at the high school to announce that Weems has being named one of five finalists for the South Carolina Teacher of the Year award.
Richland Two School Superintendent Barron Davis presented Weems with flowers and Blythewood High School Principal Matt Sherman presented her with a bouquet of balloons.
Weems was also presented a $10,000 check as she faced a bank of television and newspaper cameras. She will now go on to the next stage of competition that will culminate in the crowning of the South Carolina Teacher of the Year at a Gala on May 8 in Columbia.
“Sue has spent her career meeting the needs of each individual student and challenging them to be their very best,” Spearman said. “Her experience in both K-12 and higher education is an invaluable tool that helps her identify with her students and show them what is possible.”
Spearman also noted that Weem’s husband, who is in the military, is deployed in San Diego. Libby Roof, Richland Two’s Chief Communications Officer, tried to make phone contact with Weem’s husband so Weems could give him the good news, however, he could not be reached.
Weems, a tenth and eleventh grade English teacher, and a Blythewood resident, is the published author of fifty original short stories for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
“Mrs. Weems possesses an innate ability to inspire students’ success,” said Richland Two superintendent Dr. Baron Davis. “Her own experiences including being the child of educators, mother of four and a military spouse who has lived in many locales, has shaped her approach and teaching philosophy. Her students benefit from her abilities to tailor her teaching style to meet the individual needs of each learner and to make connections with all of her students. Richland Two is extremely proud of Mrs. Weems,” Davis said.
Weems said she considers her most profound legacy to be that she deeply understands her students and individualizes instruction to meet their needs. She said her teaching mantra is “care, connect and challenge.”
The teacher selected for the State Teacher of the Year will receive a total of $25,000 and will be provided with a brand new BMW to use while serving for one year as a roving ambassador providing mentoring, attending speaking engagements, working with teacher cadets and teaching fellows, leading the State Teacher Forum and serving as the state spokesperson for over 50,000 educators.
WINNSBORO – Fairfield Central High School teacher Chanda Jefferson was surprised at her school today when State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman arrived unexpectedly in Jefferson’s room to announce that she has been selected as one of five finalists for the South Carolina Teacher of the Year award.
Jefferson was then presented with a bouquet of flowers, another bouquet of balloons and a check for $10,000.
“Chanda is an exceptional educator who has not only worked to ensure her own students are successful but has also given of her time and energy so that students across our state have high quality Biology opportunities,” Spearman said. “Chanda’s commitment to increasing the rigor in both her classroom and classrooms across South Carolina should be commended.”
A ninth through twelfth grade Biology teacher at Fairfield Central, Chanda has worked on both the local and state levels to increase student performance of the South Carolina Biology I End-of-Course exam. In 2014, she received the Outstanding Biology Teacher for South Carolina Award presented by the National Association of Biology Teachers. She was one of twenty teachers to receive the Princeton University Fellowship for Teachers and one of three teachers to receive the Amazon Educator Academy Scholarship. Harvard University invited Jefferson to be a guest speaker for the 74th Annual Society of Developmental Biology Conference.
Outside of the classroom, Jefferson has served as an Education Network Partner for the National Human Genome Research Institute, helping to plan a National DNA Day Celebration in South Carolina.
Spearman praised Jefferson for catering to each student’s individual learning style and using hands on activities; incorporating social media, scientific modeling, inquiry, and STEM techniques in her lessons.
Jefferson will next compete for South Carolina Teacher of the Year at the annual Gala, to be held on May 8 in Columbia where the overall winner will be crowned.
