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Coweta 2017 Teacher of the Year Finalists Chosen for May 2 TOTY program

(Last Updated On: December 21, 2017)

Three finalists have been chosen for the Coweta County School System’s 2017 Teacher of the Year.

The three finalists – from Northgate High School, East Coweta Middle School and Ruth Hill Elementary School – were chosen from among the 31 Teacher of the Year chosen by their fellow teachers at each of Coweta County’s 31 public schools. They are:

Anne Graner, Media Specialist at Ruth Hill Elementary School

Mindy Baker, 6th Grade Mathematics Teacher at East Coweta Middle School

Susan Barber, AP Literature and American Literature teacher at Northgate High School

All 31 of the Coweta County School System’s 2017 Teachers of the Year will be honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Program, held on Tuesday, May 2 at the Nixon Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. The Coweta County Board of Education presents the program annually with the Newnan Pilot Club.

The county’s 2017 Teacher of the Year – who would serve as the school system’s nominee for state TOTY – will also be announced at Tuesday’s program.

Teachers of the Year are selected by certified teachers at each school in recognition of the quality of their teaching, professional development, teaching philosophies and methods, community involvement, contributions to education, and their ability to inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn.

This year’s honorees represent grade levels from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, and a range of educational disciplines including elementary grade instruction, math, technology, sciences, music, special education, history, language arts and media services.

The 2017 Teachers of the Year from each school are:

From elementary schools: Kristi Lange, 1st Grade (Arbor Springs), Melanie Youngblood, Computer Lab (Arnco-Sargent), Monty Potts, 5th Grade Math (Atkinson), Kimberly Ward, 5th Grade (Brooks), Jennifer Hamilton, 5th Grade (Canongate), Angie McGeachy, Pre-Kindergarten (Eastside), Sally Brass, 2nd Grade (Elm Street), Stephanie Landrum, Media Specialist (Glanton), Laura Orozco, 2nd Grade (Jefferson Parkway), Hillary Metts, Special Education (Moreland), Lola Hasting-Weber, 3rd Grade (Newnan Crossing), Lisa Diebboll, 5th Grade (Northside), Melissa Bedenbaugh, Kindergarten (Poplar Road), Anne Graner, Media Specialist (Ruth Hill), Christina Luke, Special Education (Autism) (Thomas Crossroads), Amanda Foiles, 4th Grade (Welch), Mandy Binion, 3rd Grade English/Language Arts (Western), Nikki Rutledge, 5th Grade (White Oak), Crystal Joyner, EIP (Willis Road).

From middle schools: Amanda Inman, 6th Grade Math (Arnall Middle), Mindy Baker, 6th Grade Math (East Coweta Middle), Tim Crosby, 8th Grade Math (Evans Middle), Jennifer Doonan, 7th Grade English/Language Arts (Lee Middle), Christal Wagner, Band (Madras Middle), Heather Clay, Special Education (Smokey Road Middle), Melissa Houghton, Social Studies (Maggie Brown Middle Alternative).

From high schools: Sean Parker, 8th-12th Grade Math, (the Central Educational Center), Chris Bolling, Science (East Coweta High), Tara Atkinson, Special Education (Newnan High), Susan Barber, English/Language Arts (Northgate High), Ellen Thomas, English/Language Arts, (Winston Dowdell Academy).

Elm Street Elementary School media specialist Shannon Ewing has served as the 2016 Coweta County School System Teacher. She will speak at Tuesday night’s annual ceremony. Ewing was among three 2016 finalists including Audrey Anglin, a special education teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students at Thomas Crossroads Elementary School, and Cheryl Nicolls, a 2nd grade teacher at Brooks Elementary School.

Cutline: Coweta County’s 2017 Teachers of the Year from each of the district’s 31 schools will be honored at the annual TOTY ceremony, held at the Nixon Centre for Performing and Visual Arts on May 2, at 7:00 p.m. Teachers Cheryl Nicolls, Shannon Ewing and Audrey Anglin were finalists for the county’s 2016 Teacher of the Year, with Elm Street Elementary School’s Ewing selected as the county’s 2016 TOTY.

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Krystal is a graduate of the University of West Georgia with a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Psychology. She enjoys weightlifting, loves journalism and social media, UWG football, The Walking Dead, hanging out in bookstores, photography, cooking, doing yoga, and watching Falcons football.