H.E. McCracken Middle School teacher honored as 2025-26 District Teacher of the Year
BEAUFORT – A veteran teacher with 16 years of experience has been named Beaufort County’s 2025-2026 District Teacher of the Year. Allison Gallagher, an eighth-grade science teacher at H.E. McCracken Middle School, was selected and announced during a celebration honoring Teachers of the Year from all the district’s schools on Friday.
“Teaching is who I am, and I am so thankful for this honor,” Gallagher said. “I started my teaching journey in this district 16 years ago, and I’m just so excited to continue my journey and my love of teaching in this role. I’m really excited about the growth that it will bring me, as well as the opportunities to share how amazing this district is, how amazing our students are, all of our families, our administrators, all of my fellow teachers, and I’m just really excited to be their representative.”
H.E. McCracken Middle School Principal Dr. Roger Ward said Gallagher is a great representative for the Beaufort County School District. “Allie is just the epitome of what any teacher should be. She builds incredible relationships with her students and her parents. She approaches this not just as a job but really as an important part of her own life, and I think she enjoys watching her students grow, learn, and just be everything they can be. I’m so proud of her.”
The four other finalists for the 2025-2026 District Teacher of the Year were Elizabeth Herring of Bluffton High School; Audrey Kaney of Red Cedar Elementary School; Alison Lopes of Hilton Head Island Elementary ECC; and Amy Turner of Coosa Elementary School.
In her District Teacher of the Year application, Gallagher shared that from a young age, she was passionate about learning and inspired by her supportive father and two influential high school educators. Although she began college studying to become a pharmacist, a transformative internship in Australia reignited her dream of teaching. Over the past 16 years, she has led impactful programs like “River of Words,” which combined science, writing, and art through real-world exploration. At her current school, she elevated the Science Fair by guiding over 200 students annually with students earning top district and regional awards. Her work continues to inspire students to think deeply, explore boldly, and embrace their genius.
Gallagher holds a master’s degree in Middle Grades Education and a Bachelor of Science in Family & Consumer Sciences from the University of Georgia.
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Superintendent Dr. Frank Rodriguez celebrates Allison Gallagher being named District Teacher of the Year
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 composed of judges from across the county. 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.
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2025-2026 Teachers of the Year listed by school:
School Teacher of the Year
Battery Creek High Juli Amsden
Beaufort Elementary Tamyra Smith
Beaufort High Martine Marshall
Beaufort Middle Christi Barr
Beaufort -Japer Ace Jeff Bates
Bluffton Elementary, ECC Jill Pink
Bluffton High Elizabeth Herring
Bluffton Middle Samantha Gera
Broad River Elementary Lakisha Williams
Coosa Elementary Amy Turner
H.E. McCracken Middle Allison Gallagher
Hilton Head ECC Alison Lopes
Hilton Head Elementary (IB) Jason Ziegler
Hilton Head Island SCA and Cynthia Strandt
Daufuskie Island Elementary
Hilton Head Island High Hannah Harrington
Hilton Head Island Middle Andrea Norman
Joseph Shanklin Elementary Kayli Flanagan
Lady’s Island Elementary Cicely Scott
Lady’s Island Middle Corey Hollis
May River High School Kelly Jardin
M. C. Riley Elementary/ECC Liz Dowe
Mossy Oaks Elementary Misty Gerard
Okatie Elementary Amanda Altman
Port Royal Elementary Jordan Franks
Pritchardville Elementary Madeline Lumley
Red Cedar Elementary Audrey Kaney
River Ridge Academy Marlayna Tracy
Robert Smalls Leadership Academy Rebecca Gerrard
St. Helena Elementary, ELC Phelicia Simmons
Whale Branch E.C. High Khara Bowlin
Whale Branch El., Davis ECC Sabrina Johnson-Green
Whale Branch Middle James Floyd
Adult Education Lois Lewis
Supporting video footage: https://youtu.be/sLbGt3PQees