Meet the First-Year Teacher, Library Media Specialist of the Year in Muscogee schools
The Muscogee County School District honored its First-Year Teacher of the Year and Library Media Specialist of the Year during Monday night’s board meeting.
The teacher award winner is Amitrice Davidson, who teaches second-grade special education at Reese Road Leadership Academy. The media specialist award winner is Cynthia Smith of Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School.
Davidson is in the second semester of the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy, a program helping individuals from other professions become certified educators.
“Throughout her first year, Mrs. Davidson has demonstrated professionalism and deep pedagogical skills that are necessary to promote student growth and achievement,” MCSD chief academic officer Keith Seifert told the board. “The foundation of Mrs. Davidson’s classroom success is the ease at which she builds relationships with her students, engages them in learning and holds them accountable to her high expectations. It is because of Mrs. Davidson’s dedicated work ethic and continuous drive for improvement that makes her a strong asset to the education profession.”
Davidson previously worked in child protective services.
“It would just pull at my heartstrings to see children that didn’t have anybody to advocate for them in the education field,” she told the board.
That’s why she contacted Reese Road principal Katrina Long and learned about the GaTAPP program.
Davidson recalled watching a video of the famous TED Talk by educator Rita Pierson, who says children don’t learn from people they don’t like.
“My goodness,” Davidson recalled thinking. “How am I going to get these kids to like me? But no, really, it has been an absolute pleasure. … If anybody is interested in an alternative route to education, I definitely recommend the Georgia TAPP program.”
Smith serves on her school’s teams for leadership, improvement and special classes. She also is her school’s Partners in Education coordinator.
Marissa Brookins, MCSD content specialist for school library media, praised Smith for collaborating with teachers and community members, managing technology and building relationships with students “as she teaches and instills a love of reading.”
Smith mentors other media specialists, volunteers in the community, “and I couldn’t be prouder to have her represent Muscogee County School District,” Brookins told the board.
As did Davidson, Smith thanked her colleagues, students and family for their support.
“I appreciate it,” Smith said.
An MCSD committee selects the media specialist winner. Committee members include past winners, the content specialist for school library media and the director of K-12 curriculum and instruction, according to the explanation on the agenda. The committee considers nominations, references and the candidate’s answers to application questions.
The agenda lists the following criteria for selecting the First-Year Teacher of the Year:
- Classroom performance
- Contributions to the school and community
- Original or innovative ideas and approaches to teaching
- Initiative and motivation
- Willingness to share
- Knowledge of content
- Communication skills
- Passion and enthusiasm
- Cooperation
- Improvement in student achievement
- Knowledge and use of technology
- Rapport with students, staff and parents.
No MCSD official said and the agenda didn’t explain how the teacher winner was selected. The Ledger-Enquirer didn’t get that question answered before publication.
