Lexington One announces five Teacher of the Year finalists
January 21, 2015
LEXINGTON, SC – Lexington County School District One proudly announces the finalists for this year’s District Teacher of the Year — Lexington Elementary Technology Integration Specialist Suzanne M. Brooks, Lexington High AP Statistics and International Baccalaureate Teacher Sheryn D. Billue, Pleasant Hill Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Cheryl H. Banks, River Bluff High Director of Bands Kenneth D. Turner and Rocky Creek Elementary Third-Grade Teacher Kathryn R. Herndon.
Suzanne Brooks has 20 years of educational experience, a Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies of elementary education from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Education in educational psychology in gifted and creative education from the University of Georgia. A College of Charleston adjunct professor and Leading Edge Digital Educator, she is certified in early childhood and elementary education and endorsed in gifted and talented. Brooks is a member of the Palmetto State Teachers Association, Lexington Elementary’s Leadership Team, and the S.C. Discovery Educator Network Events Team and Leadership Council.
Sheryn Billue has 19 years of educational experience, a Bachelor of Arts in geography from Georgia State University and credentials from Benedict College’s Armed Forces Teacher Education and Recruitment Program. Billue, certified in mathematics and advanced placement and endorsed in gifted and talented, is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Mathematical Association of America and South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She also earned certified quality engineer and certified quality technician certifications from the Board of American Society for Quality.
Cheryl Banks has 15 years of educational experience, a Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education from Clemson University and a Master of Education in elementary education and a Master’s Plus 30 in language and literacy from the University of South Carolina. Banks, a grade-level team leader, is certified in early childhood education and literacy. She is a member of the Palmetto State Teachers Association and is a University of South Carolina coaching teacher.
Ken Turner has 23 years of educational experience and a Bachelor of Music Education with a Performance Certificate and a Master of Music Education from the University of South Carolina. Named to the 2013 School Band and Orchestra Magazine’s “50 Directors that Make a Difference,” Turner is certified in music education (instrumental) and a member of the National Association for Music Education Association, South Carolina Band Directors Association, South Carolina Band Directors Association Marching Committee, Lexington District One Teacher Advisory Council, Phi Beta Mu Honorary International Bandmasters Fraternity and South Carolina Philharmonic.
Katie Herndon, with 11 years of educational experience, has a Bachelor of Science in early childhood education from Presbyterian College, a Master of Education in literacy education from Cambridge College, and a Master of Education in educational administration from the University of South Carolina. Herndon is certified in early childhood education and elementary administration. A National Board Certified Teacher, she is a Certified South Carolina Mentor teacher, a SAFE-T evaluator and a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, South Carolina State Council of the International Reading Association, S.C. Department of Education Read to Succeed Coaching Institute and Professional Literacy Cohort, and the Lexington One Technology Users Group.
In September, certified staff at each Lexington One school chose a 2014–2015 school-level Teacher of the Year. Those school-level Teachers of the Year completed written applications, which were judged by five teams of judges. Finally, the 11 applications with top scores were judged by a different team of six judges. In the coming weeks, another panel of judges of five judges will spend a day observing the finalists as they teach and interviewing them.
The district will announce its new District Teacher of the Year on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, at an evening celebration honoring all school-level Teachers of the Year held at the Lexington One Performing Arts Center on the campus of River Bluff High School.
The district’s other school-level Teachers of the Year include Carolina Springs Elementary Fifth-Grade English Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher Tamela Jett; Carolina Springs Middle Eighth-Grade Science Teacher Teresa Gibbons; Forts Pond Elementary Art Teacher Lisa Thomas; Gilbert Elementary Fourth-Grade Teacher Jamie Brunson; Gilbert High Algebra Teacher Christina Bosserman; Gilbert Middle Eighth-Grade Science Teacher Pamela Humphries; Gilbert Primary Kindergarten Teacher Amy Van Horne; Lake Murray Elementary Music Teacher Amy Shealy; Lexington Middle Sixth-Grade Science Teacher Charlene Jones; Lexington Technology Center Marketing Teacher Marcy O’Brien; Meadow Glen Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Aubrey Catone; Meadow Glen Middle iCivics Teacher Melody Shafer; Midway Elementary Fifth-Grade Teacher Katie McKinley; New Providence Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Kay Derrick; Oak Grove Elementary Second-Grade Teacher Cassie Stone; Pelion Elementary School Counselor Julie Long; Pelion High Band Director Otto Hage; Pelion Middle Industrial Technology and STEM Academy Teacher John Leneschmidt; Pleasant Hill Middle Sixth-Grade Social Studies Teacher Steve Woodyard; Red Bank Elementary Second-Grade Teacher Meghan Cegelis; Saxe Gotha Elementary Special Education Teacher Patricia Dutton; White Knoll Elementary ESOL Teacher Jennifer Gillespie; White Knoll Middle Sixth-Grade Mathematics Teacher Joan Conger; White Knoll High NJROTC Instructor 1st Sgt. David Pelley.
