53.8 F
Oxford

Lafayette School Board Awards Teachers of the Year, Swears in New Member

By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com

The Lafayette County School Board awarded five teachers and one administrator Monday night for their accomplishments in education. Board members (from left to right) are Mike Gooch, Judith Thompson, Bill McGregor, Kimberly East and Brent Larson. Photo by Talbert Toole.

The Lafayette County School Board recognized and awarded “Teacher of the Year” to five deserving teachers along with an “Administrator of the Year” award Monday night during the board’s first 2019 meeting.

Each building within the school district nominated and voted on a teacher the school deemed worthy of the recognition, according to Superintendent Adam Pugh.

The recipients were Sandy Brown, Lafayette Elementary; Stephanie Carter, Lafayette Upper Elementary; Jessi Cook, Lafayette Middle; Hannah Gadd, Lafayette High; Beth Lucas, Oxford-Lafayette School of Applied Technology; Thomas Tillman, Administrator of the Year for Lafayette Upper Elementary.

Tillman said he is humbled by the recognition of being named Administrator of the Year.

“As I look over our great school district I see talented and gifted administrators who serve tirelessly on a daily basis,” Tillman said. “I can’t begin to fathom how I was chosen for this recognition.”

He gave praises to his wife and children along with the other administrators and colleagues in the school district.

“Putting all of this in perspective, I am who I am,” he said. “[I] have what I have because someone believed in me.”

In addition to Gadd being awarded Teacher of the Year for her specific school, she was also honored with the award for the entire district and follows in the footsteps of fellow teacher Whitney Drewery, who currently represents the state as Mississippi’s Teacher of the Year.

The awarded teachers also wrote a one-page paper explaining the significance of this honor that they submitted anonymously, Pugh said. Each paper was then ranked from 1 to 4, 1 being the most outstanding paper.

Gadd garnered three 1’s on her paper, which landed her second award of representing the entire district.

Gadd said she was shocked when she found out the board had awarded her with the honor of representing the district as Teacher of the Year.

“To be named the Lafayette County School District Teacher of the Year is so humbling,” Gadd said. “I’ve been blessed with amazing teachers who invested their hearts and time into me as a student from elementary school through graduate school.”

She also said she has found support from the administrators and colleagues within the Lafayette School District.

“My students are my pride and joy,” Gadd said. “They never say no to my crazy ideas, and they constantly amaze me with their positivity and love for learning.”

Drewery, who is the first teacher from LCSD to be awarded the state honor, is currently in the midst of competing for the recognition of National Teacher of the Year. She will begin her journey in February traveling the country to represent Mississippi. She begins in California and will end at the National Football Championship this time next year. Drewery will also travel to the District of Columbia later this spring to see who is awarded the national honor. She currently awaits to see if she places as one of the top four finalists, which should be announced in the upcoming week, she said.

Newly Elected Member Sworn In

The school board also introduced and swore in its newest member, Mike Gooch. Gooch was sworn in by Judge Johnny Wayne McLarty.

Judge McLarty swears in the Lafayette School Board’s newest member Mike Gooch. Photo by Talbert Toole.

Gooch, a U.S. Army veteran and current director of Oxford Diagnostic Center, said his background in managing a multi-million-dollar budget and his ability to work well with a team makes him the best candidate to sit on the school board.

“I have one of the highest patient and employee satisfaction rates in the entire Baptist system,” he said. “I know how to work with people to achieve desired outcomes. Having been heavily involved in the planning phase of the new Baptist Hospital will be beneficial to the school board during the planning and construction of our new elementary school.”

Gooch, 50, has four children – one currently a ninth-grader at Lafayette High School, which he says gives him a vested interested in the school district.

A Lafayette High School graduate himself, Gooch attended and graduated from the University of Mississippi. He is currently the president of the Oxford Lions Club and a graduate of Leadership Lafayette.

He says he’d like to see LCSD bring more technology into the classrooms to better prepare students for the future.

“I would also like to see our school continue its momentum towards becoming one of the top 10 school districts in Mississippi,” he said. “I feel it will be important to ensure our teachers have all of the necessary tools to achieve such a goal. Our children are our future and the viability of our community depends on us to ensure we give our children every opportunity to be successful.


Most Popular

Recent Comments

scamasdscamith on News Watch Ole Miss
Frances Phillips on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Grace Hudditon on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Millie Johnston on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Binary options + Bitcoin = $ 1643 per week: https://8000-usd-per-day.blogspot.com.tr?b=46 on Beta Upsilon Chi: A Christian Brotherhood
Jay Mitchell on Reflections: The Square
Terry Wilcox SFCV USA RET on Oxford's Five Guys Announces Opening Date
Stephanie on Throwback Summer
organized religion is mans downfall on VP of Palmer Home Devotes Life to Finding Homes for Children
Paige Williams on Boyer: Best 10 Books of 2018
Keith mansel on Cleveland On Medgar Evans
Debbie Nader McManus on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: The Last of His Kind
Richard Burns on A William Faulkner Sighting
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Ruby Begonia on Family Catching Rebel Fever
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
jeff the busy eater on Cooking With Kimme: Baked Brie
Travis Yarborough on Reflections: The Square
BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH on Oxford is About to Receive a Sweet Treat
baby travel systems australia on Heaton: 8 Southern Ways to Heckle in SEC Baseball
Rajka Radenkovich on Eating Oxford: Restaurant Watch
Richard Burns on Reflections: The Square
Guillermo Perez Arguello on Mississippi Quote Of The Day
A Friend with a Heavy Heart on Remembering Dr. Stacy Davidson
Harold M. "Hal" Frost, Ph.D. on UM Physical Acoustics Research Center Turns 30
Educated Citizen on Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
Debbie Crenshaw on Trump’s Tough Road Ahead
Treadway Strickland on Wicker Looks Ahead to New Congress
Tony Ryals on parking
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
C. Scott Fischer on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Sylvia Williams on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Will Patterson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Rick Henderson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
George L Price on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
on
Morgan Shands on Cleveland: On Ed Reed
Richard McGraw on Cleveland: On Cissye Gallagher
Branan Southerland on Gameday RV Parking at HottyToddy.com
Tom and Randa Baddley on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
26 years and continuously learning on Ole Miss Puts History In Context With Plaque
a Paterson on Beyond Barton v. Barnett
Phil Higginbotham on ‘Unpublished’ by Shane Brown
Bettina Willie@www.yahoo.com.102Martinez St.Batesville,Ms.38606 on Bomb Threat: South Panola High School Evacuated This Morning
Anita M Fellenz, (Emilly Hoffman's CA grandmother on Ole Miss Spirit Groups Rank High in National Finals
Marilyn Moore Hughes on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
Jaqundacotten@gmail williams on HottyToddy Hometown: Hollandale, Mississippi
Finney moore on Can Ole Miss Grow Too Big?
diane faulkner cawlley on Oxford’s Olden Days: Miss Annie’s Yard
Phil Higginbotham on ‘November 24’ by Shane Brown
Maralyn Bullion on Neely-Dorsey: Hog Killing Time
Beth Carr on A Letter To Mom
Becky on A Letter To Mom
Marilyn Tinnnin on A Letter To Mom
Roger ulmer on UM Takes Down State Flag
Chris Pool on UM Takes Down State Flag
TampaRebel on UM Takes Down State Flag
david smith on UM Takes Down State Flag
Boyd Harris on UM Takes Down State Flag
Jim (Herc @ UM) on Cleveland: Fall Vacations
Robert Hollingsworth on Rebels on the Road: Memphis Eateries
David McCullough on Shepard Leaves Ole Miss Football
Gayle G. Henry on Meet Your 2015 Miss Ole Miss
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Neely-Dorsey: Elvis Presley’s Big Homecoming
Jennifer Mooneyham on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Wes McIngvale on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
BARRY MCCAMMON on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
Laughing out Loud on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Dr.Bill Priester on Cleveland: On Bob Priester
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
paulette holmes langbecker on Cofield on Oxford – Rising Ole Miss Rookie
Ruth Shipp Yarbrough on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Karllen Smith on ‘Rilee’ by Shane Brown
Jean Baker Pinion on ‘The Cool Pad’ by Shane Brown
Janet Hollingsworth (Cavanaugh) on John Cofield on Oxford: A Beacon
Proud Mississippi Voter on Gunn Calls for Change in Mississippi Flag
Deloris Brown-Thompson on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Sue Ellen Parker Stubbs on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Karen fowler on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Don't Go to Law School on Four Legal Rebels Rising in the Real World
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
Joanne and Mark Wilkinson on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Mary Ellen (Dring) Gamble on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Cyndy Carroll on Filming it Up in Mississippi
Dottie Dewberry on Top 10 Secret Southern Sayings
Brother Everett Childers on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Mark McElreath on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Bill Wilkes, UM '57, '58, '63 on A Letter from Chancellor Dan Jones
Sandra Caffey Neal on Mississippi Has Proud Irish Heritage
Teresa Enyeart, and Terry Enyeat on Death of Ole Miss Grad, U.S. Vet Stuns Rebel Nation
P. D. Fyke on Wells: Steelhead Run
Johnny Neumann on Freeze Staying with Rebels
Maralyn Bullion on On Cooking Southern: Chess Pie
Kaye Bryant on Henry: E. for Congress
charles Eichorn on Hotty Tamales, Gosh Almighty
Jack of All Trades on Roll Over Bear Bryant
w nadler on Roll Over Bear Bryant
Stacey Berryhill on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
John Appleton on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Charlotte Lamb on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Two True Mississippi Icons
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Jeanette Berryhill Wells on HottyToddy Hometown: Senatobia, Mississippi
Tire of the same ole news on 3 "Must Eat" Breakfast Spots in Oxford
gonna be a rebelution on Walking Rebel Fans Back Off the Ledge
Nora Jaccaud on Rickshaws in Oxford
Martha Marshall on Educating the Delta — Or Not
Nita McVeigh on 'I'm So Oxford' Goes Viral
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on How a Visit to the Magnolia State Can Inspire You
Charlie Fowler Jr. on Prawns? In the Mississippi Delta?
Martha Marshall on A Salute to 37 Years of Sparky
Sylvia Hartness Williams on Oxford Approves Diversity Resolution
Jerry Greenfield on Wine Tip: Problem Corks
Cheryl Obrentz on I Won the Lottery! Now What?
Bnogas on Food for the Soul
Barbeque Memphis on History of Tennessee Barbecue
Josephine Bass on The Delta and the Civil War
Nicolas Morrison on The Walking Man
Pete Williams on Blog: MPACT’s Future
Laurie Triplette on On Cooking Southern: Fall Veggies
Harvey Faust on The Kream Kup of the Krop
StarReb on The Hoka
Scott Whodatty Keetereaux Keet on Hip Hop — Yo or No, What’s Your Call
Johnathan Doeman on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
Andy McWilliams on The Warden & The Chief
Kathryn McElroy on Think Like A Writer
Claire Duff Sullivan on Alert Dogs Give Diabetics Peace of Mind
Jesse Yancy on The Hoka
Jennifer Thompson Walker on Ole Miss, Gameday From The Eyes of a Freshman
HottyToddy.com