City Schools of Decatur Honors Teacher of the Year

Bill Roberts, Decatur High School special education teacher, will represent City Schools of Decatur as District Teacher of the Year.

The district honored eight Teachers of the Year at the November Board of Education meeting. They are:

• Aaron Luke, Pre-K teacher at College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center
• Alyson Barrera, Spanish teacher at Clairemont Elementary
• Dee Anna Rittenhouse, Library Media Specialist at Glennwood Elementary
• Courtney Hartnett, Teacher of the Gifted at Oakhurst Elementary
• Merion Davis, Intervention teacher Winnona Park Elementary
• Alison Eber, 4th grade teacher at 4/5 Academy at Fifth Avenue
• Suzanne Epting, Humanities teacher at Renfroe Middle School
• Bill Roberts, Special Education teacher at Decatur High School

Westchester Elementary chose to wait to participate in the Teacher of the Year process until 2015 -2016. Glennwood Elementary also did this the first year it opened as a K-3.

The school-level Teachers of the Year are nominated by their peers. All nominees must be in at least their fourth year of employment with City Schools of Decatur.

Criteria to be Considered and Addressed in the Nomination:

• Demonstrates leadership within the school or school system.
• Works as a team member of the school; works well with staff in the school, parents, and administrators.
• Provides evidence of student achievement and engagement by providing a stimulating classroom environment.
• Agrees to go forward with the Georgia Teacher of the Year application process.
• Nominations for school level Teachers of the Year are considered by a committee and selected by the principal.

The school level Teachers of the Year apply for the District Teacher of Year. A committee of former District Teachers of the Year, Westchester Elementary Principal Rochelle Lofstrand and the City of Decatur Public Information Officer Casie Yoder reviewed the applications and sent recommendations to the superintendent.