9 Educators Vie for N.C. Teacher of the Year
Nine teachers were recently selected to represent their regions and charter schools as regional Teachers of the Year. They will compete for the title of 2008-09 North Carolina Teacher of the Year.
The winner will succeed the 2007-08 Teacher of the Year, James Bell, an eighth grade English teacher at Chowan Middle School, Edenton-Chowan Public Schools.
The regional teachers of the year are:
- Paige Elliott, Fuquay-Varina High, Wake County Schools, North Central region
- Sonya Rinehart, John Holmes High, Edenton-Chowan Public Schools, Northeast region
- Janice Raper, Hurley Elementary, Rowan-Salisbury Schools, Northwest region
- Ruth Parker, Clinton High, Clinton City Schools, Southeast region
- Bernard Waugh, Kannapolis Intermediate, Kannapolis City Schools, Southwest region
- Trisha Muse, Page Street Elementary, Montgomery County Schools, Sandhills/South Central region
- Cindi Rigsbee, Gravelly Hill Middle, Orange County Schools, Piedmont-Triad/Central region
- Renee Peoples, West Elementary, Swain County Schools, West region
- Freida Baker, East Wake Academy, Wake County, Charter Schools
Each of the regional teachers of the year will receive a one-time stipend of $5,000 and a trip to a national conference. They also will serve on the 2008-09 Teacher of the Year team.
The 2008-09 Teacher of the Year will be announced April 29 at a dinner and awards ceremony.
North Carolina has recognized outstanding teachers through its Teacher of the Year program since 1970. This is the first year that a teacher has been selected to represent charter schools.
