Karen Chick           2012-2013 AIG Teacher of the Year

Karen Chick, the AIG Teacher at Stoney Point Elementary School has been named the AIG Teacher of the Year for 2012-2013. She was recently honored during a fifth grade awards ceremony at the school.  Several AIG Teachers from across the county along with Carrie Childers, the AIG Coordinator, recognized Mrs. Chick for her accomplishment.  Mrs. Chick was presented with a plaque and flowers.  She also received a scholarship to attend the NCAGT conference that was held in Winston Salem.  Mrs. Chick’s philosophy is that “learning must involve opportunities for exploration, imagination, and rigor”. Her hope is that her students will retain experiences that will spark a love of learning and a voracious curiosity for the need to know more. Mrs. Chick’s students describe her as honorable, creative, determined, brilliant, and fun loving, and a former student went even further to say that her impact is long-lasting. Congratulations Karen Chick, the AIG Teacher of the Year for 2012-2013!

Local Assistant Principal Receives State Recognition

During the recent Conference on Educational Leadership, Dr. Shirley Prince, Executive Director of the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals Association (NCPAPA) presented Yolanda Epps, Assistant Principal from Douglas Byrd High School,  the award for being nominated North Carolina’s Secondary Assistant Principal of the year for 2013.  During the program six superintendents from North Carolina shared best practices about the standards of school leadership. Epps will now travel to Washington, DC April 10-13 and will meet on Capitol Hill to address the needs of students and educators in North Carolina with state Senators and Representatives.

CCS’ 2012 Exceptional Children’s Teacher of Excellence

Debra Thompson, who is currently in her first year of teaching at Mary McArthur Elementary School, was recently selected as Cumberland County’s 2012 Exceptional Children’s Teacher of Excellence. She was recognized at the 62^nd Exceptional Children’s Conference held in Greensboro, NC.

School principal Lola Williams stated, “It is indeed an honor and a privilege to have her as a member of the school’s staff.  It is very evident in her teaching that she loves children. When you walk into her classroom you are welcomed with open arms. The children are engaged in learning that takes place at a high rate of success. The honor could not have gone to a more deserving teacher. She is indeed, “A Teacher of Excellence!”

CCS’ Exceptional Children 2012 Teacher of Excellence

Dr. Debra Thompson was recently recognized in Greensboro at the 62nd Conference on Exceptional Children as Cumberland County School’s Exceptional Children 2012 Teacher of Excellence.  Dr. Thompson teaches preschool children who are deaf and hard of hearing and those with developmental delays.  She was recognized for her leadership, innovative instructional methodologies, and positive outcomes for students with disabilities.  Pictured with Dr. Thompson (center) are Jill Basnight (left) and Liz Fishbaugh (right), Program Specialists with the Early-In Special Education Preschool Program of Cumberland County Schools.

Crystal Brown, CCS’ 2013 Principal of the Year

Fayetteville – Crystal Brown, principal of Ben Martin Elementary School, has been selected as the 2013 Cumberland County Schools’ Principal of the Year.

Brown now moves on to compete with other local award recipients from the Sandhills/South Central Region of the state.  After the state selection process is completed, one principal will be selected as the 2013 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year.

Brown, who has served as a school administrator for 11 years, started her 16-year career in education after receiving a bachelor’s degree in music education from East Carolina University (Greenville, NC). In 2002, she obtained her master’s degree in school administration from Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, NC). Brown is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education from North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC). Throughout her career, she has worked in numerous educational leadership positions and has served as an active member of several professional and community organizations.
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Jody Pierce – Educational Office Professional of the Year

Jody Pierce, Assistant to the CCS’ Finance Officer, has been named the North Carolina Association of Educational Office Professionals – District 9′s (NCAEOP) 2012 Educational Office Professional of the Year. Pierce was awarded this honor during District 9′s Annual Fall meeting recently held at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

Pierce has worked for Cumberland County Schools for the past 19 years, and has been an active member of NCAEOP since 1997. She has held various jobs in the organization on both the local and district level.
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CCS’ 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year – Angela Parker, Seventy-First Classical Middle School

Language Arts/Reading Teacher at Seventy-First Classical Middle School Snatches the Title 

Fayetteville – “Transparency is so important for educators,” said Cumberland County Schools’ 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year (TOY)Angela Parker, a Language Arts/Reading teacher at Seventy-First Classical Middle School. “Without it (transparency), there is no way to truly provide students with a safe and comfortable environment.  Students will open up and share their thoughts, opinions, experiences and feelings when they know the teacher is willing to do the same. As an educator, I choose transparency.  It has proven beneficial and reliable in helping students achieve their educational goals.”
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Cumberland County Schools (CCS) believes in setting high expectations and then enthusiastically celebrating once the expectations are met. Such is the case in the CCS Counseling Department as 150 counselors recently voted for their choice of Elementary, Middle, and High School Counselor of the Year.

Candidates for Counselor of the Year undergo a rigorous competition in which they document innovations in their counseling programs, display leadership within the field, show evidence of adherence to the American School Counseling Association National Model, and create presentations for local and/or state meetings.
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School Administrators Announce Assistant Principals of the Year

Three Cumberland County school administrators were recently named 2011-2012 Cumberland County Schools’ Assistant Principals of the Year.
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CCS' 2011-2012 AIG Teacher of the Year

The AIG program proudly announces Cumberland County Schools’ 2011-2012 AIG Teacher of the Year, Susan Brady. Susan services gifted students at Terry Sanford High School managing one of the largest high schools in the county. She also serves as an AIG High School Lead Consultant helping other AIG Consultants across our county. Susan was recently recognized at the 38^th annual North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented conference as a finalist in the NCAGT 2012 North Carolina Teacher of the Year in Gifted. Susan received a plaque as a finalist at a luncheon held on Friday, March 16 in the Grand Pavilion at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Winston Salem.