Coosa Elementary School teacher honored as 2023-24 District Teacher of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 29, 2023
BEAUFORT – An elementary school teacher was named as the Beaufort County’s 2023-2024 District Teacher of the Year today.
The selection of April Bryant, who teaches fifth grade at Coosa Elementary School, was announced during a celebration honoring teachers of the year from all of the district’s schools.
Mrs. Bryant is an individual that was born be in this profession; she is student centered, she consistently shares her craft with other teachers, and her classroom serves as a model for others in our district.
Melissa Pender, Principal, Coosa Elementary School
“I am among some of the most phenomenal teachers I have seen in my life in my career, and I was very, very shocked that they called my name but feeling beyond blessed that it was me,” said Bryant. “it’s such a beautiful platform to represent Beaufort County Schools.”
Coosa Elementary School Principal Melissa Pender said Bryant was born to be a teacher. “Mrs. Bryant is an individual that was born be in this profession; she is student centered, she consistently shares her craft with other teachers, and her classroom serves as a model for others in our district,” said Pender. “We are so happy that she's been recognized with this honor today.”
The four other finalists for 2023-2024 District Teacher of the Year were Josh Ferguson at Whale Branch Early College High School; Amanda Freeman at Mossy Oaks Elementary; James King at May River High School; and Karen Tooman at Battery Creek High School.
Bryant believes teachers are successful when they actively establish and build relationships with our learners. She wrote in her Teacher of the Year application that these relationships are built with a commitment that comes from knowing the students and their stakeholders in their education.
Bryant holds a Master of Science in Education, PreK – 6th Grade Literacy and a Bachelor of Arts in Education, Elementary and Early Childhood, with a concentration in Behavioral Studies. She has earned a Literacy Endorsement from the S.C. Department of Education, and a Gifted and Talented Endorsement from the University of South Carolina.
Becoming District Teacher of the Year is a three-step process that begins when school-level teachers of the year are selected in April. Those wishing to compete for District Teacher of the Year submit detailed applications by the end of July.
In the second step, a selection committee consisting of parents, former educators, and community leaders from across Beaufort County reviews the applications and rates them using a numerical scoring system. The five highest-scoring applicants are named as finalists.
In the third step, the finalists are interviewed by a separate review committee again composed of judges from across the county. The judges scored candidates based on how well they respond to questions about current education issues. After those interviews, the panel selects the District Teacher of the Year in September, and that person represents Beaufort County in the South Carolina State Teacher of the Year program. Finalists for the state program will be announced in February.
2023-2024 Teachers of the Year listed by school:
|
School |
Teacher of the Year |
|
Battery Creek High |
Karen Tooman |
|
Beaufort Elementary |
Suzanne Duvall-Blank |
|
Beaufort High |
Megan Stevenson |
|
Beaufort Middle |
Amy Edwards |
|
Beaufort-Jasper ACE |
Kim McGuire |
|
Bluffton Elementary, ECC |
Kristen Seybold |
|
Bluffton High |
Andrew Barnwell |
|
Bluffton Middle |
Tyler Smith |
|
Broad River Elementary |
Lourdes Ruge |
|
Coosa Elementary |
April Bryant |
|
H. E. McCracken Middle |
Lisa Luca |
|
Hilton Head ECC |
Dani Bothe |
|
Hilton Head Elementary (IB) |
Anjanette Olander |
|
Hilton Head Island Creative Arts, Daufuskie Island |
Mark Sadler |
|
Hilton Head Island High |
Tarken Best |
|
Hilton Head Island Middle |
Haleigh Easter |
|
Joseph Shanklin Elementary |
Dana Willingham |
|
Lady’s Island Elementary |
Carrie Adkins |
|
Lady’s Island Middle |
Alexandria Britt |
|
May River High School |
James King |
|
M. C. Riley Elementary/ECC |
Doris Beishir |
|
Mossy Oaks Elementary |
Amanda Freeman |
|
Okatie Elementary |
Christine Lancaster |
|
Port Royal Elementary |
Sarah Reed |
|
Pritchardville Elementary |
Kailin Kermisch |
|
Red Cedar Elementary |
Randi Harms |
|
River Ridge Academy |
Jessica Foxworth |
|
Robert Smalls Intl. Academy |
Tim Kelly |
|
St. Helena Elementary, ELC |
Michelle Washington |
|
Whale Branch E.C. High |
Josh Ferguson |
|
Whale Branch El., Davis ECC |
Sholanda Simmons |
|
Whale Branch Middle |
Gwendolyn Atkins |
|
Adult Education |
Gloria Mickle |
Supporting video footage: https://youtu.be/lKZJ1uGOBAk