Muscogee County School District 2016 Teacher of the Year semifinalists announced

The candidates in contention to be the Muscogee County School District’s 2016 Teacher of the Year have been whittled from 56 to 10.

The Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation announced Tuesday the following semifinalists for this year’s honor:

· John Cobis, Northside High School, AP English Literature and British Literature.

· Eric Crouch, Double Churches Elementary School, first grade.

· Carmen Estes, Fox Elementary School, kindergarten.

· Stefan Lawrence, Carver High School, honors English and American Literature.

· Akear Mewborn, Kendrick High School, English and American Literature.

· Lisa Mills, Columbus High School, pre-AP literature and composition, and AP Language and Composition.

· Melissa Niemi, Arnold Magnet Academy, eighth-grade physical science.

· Afton Pownall, Britt David Magnet Academy, music.

· Linda Sawyer, Midland Academy, special education.

· Andrea Toole, Blanchard Elementary School, fifth-grade language arts and social studies.

After the faculty at each MCSD school nominated a teacher and the 56 nominees were announced in January, the foundation’s selection committee read the applications and chose the 10 semifinalists. The committee will interview the semifinalists and select three finalists. Committee representatives will observe the three finalists teaching in their classrooms. The winner will be announced during the foundation’s annual gala May 5.

Columbus Councilor Judy Thomas chairs the selection committee. The other members are: Brian Anderson, president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce; Kim Lester, the district’s 2013 Teacher of the Year when she taught at Britt David, now teaching at the St. Elmo Center for the Gifted; Marquette McKnight, CEO of Media, Marketing and More; Allen McMullen, president of McMullen Funeral Homes; Brandy Sipling of Midland Academy, the district’s 2014 Teacher of the Year; and Brenda Williams, vice president for corporate banking at Columbus Bank and Trust.

Anderson, in his first year on the committee, told the Ledger-Enquirer his involvement in the foundation and the district’s Teacher of the Year program aligns with the chamber’s mission.

“In my economic development role, there’s probably nothing more important than a quality education system,” he said.

The semifinalists’ applications, Anderson said, “were so good, you almost felt like you were in the classroom with them. They articulated what was really going on. You could feel the cultural transition. They’re not just teaching class; they are part of raising America’s next leaders, part of changing lives.”

Anderson noted the semifinalists clearly are raising the achievement levels for “kids who have a lot of headwinds against them.” They also have bought into superintendent David Lewis’ vision to make the district “more globally competitive,” he said.

“I couldn’t be more proud,” Anderson said. “If my kids were still in school, I would want them in this school district.”

The foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering educational excellence by recognizing and rewarding innovative and exceptionally effective teachers in the district. In its 20-year history, the foundation has awarded more than $2 million to such teachers through the Teacher of the Year and other programs.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 2:16 PM with the headline "Muscogee County School District 2016 Teacher of the Year semifinalists announced."