Five outstanding teachers named finalists in South Carolina Teacher of the Year program

March 1, 2010

GREENVILLE & SPARTANBURG, SC – March 1, 2010 – Five outstanding classroom teachers were named today as finalists in South Carolina’s State Teacher of the Year Program
 
State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex said the five teachers, chosen from nominees representing 83 of the state’s 85 local school districts, the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Palmetto Unified School District will travel to Columbia for personal interviews with a seven-member state Selection Committee. They are vying to represent more than 50,000 South Carolina teachers in the National Teacher of the Year Program.
 
The five teachers, listed alphabetically by school district, are:

  • Kelly H. Nalley,  a second –fifth-grade Spanish at Fork Shoals School, Greenville County
  • Melody Johnson, a fourth-grade teacher at Lugoff Elementary School, Kershaw County
  • Julia Goodman Marshall, a fifth-grade teacher at Oakdale Elementary School, Rock Hill School District (York Three)
  • Dr. Samantha Maddox, an English/language arts teacher at Spartanburg High School, Spartanburg School District Seven
  • Olivia “Libby” Ortmann, a six-eighth-grade at Alice Drive Middle School, Sumter School District 17

The finalists were chosen by a panel of educators and private citizens with no connection to the agency. The names of the teachers and the schools they represent were concealed from the judges during the selection process.
 
“These master teachers make a positive difference in the lives of students every day,” said State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex.

“I commend them on this outstanding honor. They facilitate professional development, are involved in their schools and communities, and are teacher leaders who share a dedication to their profession. South Carolina is fortunate that they chose to teach.”
 
The announcement of South Carolina’s 2010-11 Teacher of the Year will be made at the corporate-sponsored Teacher of the Year celebration Wednesday, April 28 in Columbia.  During the next school year, that teacher will participate in a one-year residency program at the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA) and serve as a statewide ambassador for the profession. 

South Carolina’s new Teacher of the Year also receives a $25,000 cash award and a BMW X5 48i to use for a year.   She will also participate in Leadership South Carolina, attend Notre Dame’s prestigious three-day Excellence in Teaching Symposium and receive a SMART board. 
 
The four remaining finalists, or Honor Roll teachers, will receive $10,000 each, and the district teachers of the year will receive $1,000 each.
 
This year marks the 45th year of the South Carolina Teacher of the Year Program, which has grown tremendously in participation and prestige. The awards program is a nationally recognized event that honors the State Teacher of the Year, Honor Roll teachers and district teachers of the year. 
 
Rex said his agency would assist the new Teacher of the Year in preparing her application for the national program next fall.  The National Teacher of the Year program, started in 1952, is a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers and is sponsored by the ING Foundation.
 
The 2010-11 State Teacher of the Year will succeed Bryan Coburn, a teacher at Northwestern High School in York School District 3.
 
The new Teacher of the Year will work with CERRA and the South Carolina Teacher Forum, whose members are district teachers of the year. The residency will include numerous speaking engagements around the state before civic and professional groups interested in education. The teacher also will conduct workshops for other classroom professionals, discuss public education issues with members of the General Assembly and State Board of Education, and work closely with the Teacher Cadet Program, a program that encourages academically able students with exemplary interpersonal and leadership skills to consider teaching as a career.
 
This year’s five finalists (alphabetically, by school district) are:

Kelly H. Nalley, Second-fifth-grade Spanish at Fork Shoals School, Greenville County

A former teaching cadet, Nalley believes that each child has the potential and ability to learn.  She says it’s her job to encourage them to fly high, support them and teach them how to choose the right path and become lifelong learners.  Every day, she works to inspire students to see the world beyond the classroom and to turn mirrors into windows.  For example, she encouraged Amber’s decision to teach and Nick’s desire to travel across Spain.  A frequently sought presenter, Nalley received her bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Clemson University and a master’s degree from Furman University.  This 13-year teaching veteran has also earned 30 hours above the master’s degree.

Melody Johnson, fourth-grade, Lugoff Elementary School, Kershaw County

Nationally Board-certified, Johnson works to create an environment where students feel safe and have ownership.  Her family hosts a kickball game before school begins so students can get to know her and feel comfortable around her and their classmates.  On the first day of school, she leads team building activities, helping them to mesh as a family.  Her students meet weekly to compliment each other, and they keep an Encouragement Wall.  They apply and interview for class jobs, receive Green Bucks incentives as rewards and visit a class store to spend their money.  Very involved in her community, Johnson coordinates the Optimist Club’s Internet Safety program which teaches elementary students how to use technology safely.   She received both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Furman University.

Julia Goodman Marshall, fifth-grade, Oakdale Elementary School, Rock Hill School District (York Three)

Marshall teaches because she cares and wants to make a difference. Foundational to her teaching is something John Kennedy said: “The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious.  We need men who can dream of things that never were.”  She views the contributions that she makes as opening the minds and hearts of dreamers to leave a legacy of hope and inspiration.  Marshall says that it is important to understand that each child is unique.  Differences in race, gender, nationality, life experience and home environment create challenges for the classroom teacher – opportunities to grow professionally and to help all students reach their full potential. A graduate of Clemson University, Marshall received her master of education degree from Winthrop University and 30 hours above the master’s from Walden University, where she is a doctoral candidate.

Dr. Samantha Maddox, English/language arts, Spartanburg High School, Spartanburg School District 7

Maddox is a successful grant writer who has developed a Read for Success program which involves her Dutch Shepherd Remo and struggling readers.  She has created a library of high-interest books and has revamped her American literature course to include minority and contemporary writers.  Maddox strives to listen to her students’ fears, help them reveal their strengths, face their challenges, and be the support they need to rise above circumstances that are not always ideal.  A “black belt,” she teaches yoga to Girl Scouts and is a fitness instructor.  She is a graduate of Wofford College and received a master of education degree f
rom Converse College and doctorate ineducation from the University of South Carolina.   She is National Board-certified and has 16 years teaching experience. 

Olivia “Libby” Ortmann, six-eighth-grade teacher, Alice Drive Middle School, Sumter School District 17

A 25-year National Board-certified teaching veteran, Ortmann graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina, where she also received her master’s of education.  Her classroom is a place of energy, conversation, hands-on activities and technology integration. Ortmann’s philosophy of teaching is based on three beliefs:  (1) Nothing is too good for the students.  Every child should be treated as they were your favorite!  (2)  Make effort not excuse!  (3)  You have to move out of your comfort zone to grow.  She believes that outstanding teachers should constantly seek to improve their craftsmanship, look for ways to encourage interdependence with colleagues, raise their own level of consciousness and remain flexible.