Lexington One names Freeman District Teacher of the Year

Lexington County School District One proudly named Angela B. Freeman its District Teacher of the Year at the annual Teacher of the Year Celebration honoring outstanding teachers who exemplify a commitment and dedication to educating students. Freeman now goes on to compete in the state-level Teacher of the Year program next year.

The special family-themed celebration took place Tuesday, April 6, 2017, at 7 p.m. at the Lexington One Performing Arts Center at Lexington High School.

Although Angie Freeman never intended to teach, the powerful pull of family led her there. After her graduation from college, she planned to continue, get a master’s degree and work in business or industry. Days before she planned to leave for Oklahoma State University to earn that next degree, however, her father became ill.

She put family first, stayed home and took a teaching job for “only a year.” Thirty-one years and countless student successes later, she is still teaching.

A veteran Lexington County public educator, Freeman believes in the importance of family. She works to make her classroom a non-threatening environment where students receive opportunities to succeed, to be creative, to express opinions, to ask questions — all while receiving constant encouragement.

After earning her Bachelor of Arts in mathematics from Winthrop University, she joined Airport High School in Lexington School District Two as a mathematics teacher. She worked there for 13 years before joining Lexington High School, where she teaches AP Calculus BC, Calculus Theory and Algebra 2 for all grade levels.

Freeman earned a Master of Mathematics and her master’s plus 30 from the University of South Carolina and certifications in secondary mathematics, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC.

She is a member of the S.C. Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Lexington District One’s Student Learning Objective Committee and district curriculum writing committees.

Principal Melissa Rawl noted, “Mrs. Freeman teaches the total child by teaching concepts in multiple ways and making sure each student has an opportunity to learn.”

Rosemary Coskrey, a former student, said, “Mrs. Freeman completely transformed my attitude toward Calculus BC. … She has a true passion for mathematics, for education and for establishing a connection with students. Even after graduation, she still took the time to check in with me.”

Freeman serves as facilitator, encourager and coach, and she believes that the successes of students are the most important contributions a teacher can make. An example for other teachers, she attends students’ school events and constantly searches for information designed to help her students including their general well-being as individuals.

Trudy Scurry, a former coworker, added, “Angie Freeman not only loves her students, she loves her coworkers. She is an encourager, a prayer warrior if needed, a shoulder to whine on and the biggest cheerleader ever.”

In September, certified staff at each Lexington One school chose a Teacher of the Year to represent their school in the 2016–2017 Teacher of the Year process, who then serves on the district’s Teacher Forum for two years and represents their school on the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council for one year.

These school-level teachers of the year completed written applications, which were read by teams of judges. The applicants with the top 10 scores were judged by yet another team of judges, until, finally, five Lexington One teachers were named finalists for the title of District Teacher of the Year: Lexington Elementary First-Grade Teacher Jamie M. Hudson; Lexington High Mathematics Teacher Angie B. Freeman; Lexington Middle Seventh-Grade English Teacher Ivey F. Homer; Midway Elementary Physical Education Teacher Laura L. Gates and White Knoll High Mathematics Teacher Jay J. Sydow.

Those five finalists faced still another panel of judges as they spent a day in interviews and another day being observed by the judges as they taught.