Harris County teacher among 10 Georgia Teacher of the Year finalists

A Harris County teacher is among the finalists to be the Georgia Teacher of the Year.

Jennifer Taylor, a science teacher at Harris County Carver Middle School, is one of the 10 finalists the Georgia Department of Education announced Tuesday.

Another educator in the Chattahoochee Valley made the list, Michelle Courtwright Ashmore, who teaches Advanced Placement U.S. history, comparative religion and economics at Troup County Comprehensive High School.

In a phone interview with the Ledger-Enquirer, Taylor said she was “shocked and honored” to be a finalist.

“Considering the other teachers out there, the ones I work with in my building and in the district and across the state, it’s pretty astonishing to me.”

Taylor has spent her entire teaching career, since 2008, at the school. She graduated from Douglas County High School and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Columbus State University.

The key to effective teaching, she said, is “the ability to connect with the kids as well as the ability to engage the students in what you’re trying to teach them. I also believe being involved in the school, being part of the decisions and providing input, is important.”

Harris County officials praised Taylor in emails to the Ledger-Enquirer.

“She is respected for her keen understanding of life science and research-based strategies,” said principal Stacey Carlisle. “She is also known among her peers as a trusted colleague and supportive friend.

“On any given day, Jennifer’s classroom serves as not only a content rich visual model of organization, filled with displays of student work and learning stations, but an exemplar of how a middle school classroom can be a positive and engaging place to be. Students are active participants in the learning process and all members are respected and equally valued. In this robust and happy classroom, a solid foundation has been set for the success of all students. Her extra efforts to prioritize seating, based on mastery levels of the Georgia Performance Standards, differentiate strategies, tier assignments, incorporate multi-media presentations enrich instruction as students experiment and explore science.”

“We are extremely proud of Ms. Taylor and know she will represent our district well,” said superintendent Jimmy Martin. “With the quality of teachers we have in Harris County, I am not surprised that we have one of our own selected as a finalist.

“The Harris County School District is honored to have a finalist for the Georgia Teacher of the Year,” said human resources director Jeff Branham. “Ms. Taylor’s commitment to the teaching profession is exemplary. She exhibits all the qualities of a true professional and is a credit to our profession.

The others selected are:

▪  Martha Villanueva Milam, AP chemistry, chemistry, Coweta County, East Coweta High

▪  Casey M. Bethel, AP physics, AP biology, honors physics, biology, physical science, Douglas County, New Manchester High

▪  Heather Cocke, English language arts, Effingham County, Ebenezer Middle

▪  Marlo Miranda, automotive technologies, Forsyth County, Forsyth Central High

▪  Heather McConnell, special education, Gainesville City, Gainesville Middle

▪  Sara Jones Wilder, fourth grade, Lowndes County, James L. Dewar Elementary

▪  Debra Russell, AP biology, magnet biology, anatomy and physiology, Rockdale County, Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology

▪  Joseph Cody Moncrief, mathematics, Valdosta City, Valdosta Middle

The selection panel included previous Georgia Teacher of the Year winners and finalists, education administrators and community leaders. Based on their essay response, the judges chose the 10 finalists out of 155 applicants, who were the Teacher of the Year in their school district, the department said in a news release.

"Having excellent teachers in the classroom is absolutely essential -- our students cannot succeed at high levels without them," state superintendent Richard Woods said in the release. "Every one of these 10 finalists is a shining example of the difference a great teacher makes in the life of a child. I congratulate each of them on their accomplishments and look forward to working with them to ensure our policies are child-focused and classroom-centered."

A panel of judges will conduct video observations and interviews and hear speeches given by the finalists. The winner, announced next month, will travel around the state and represent Georgia in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

This story was originally published April 26, 2016 at 3:58 PM with the headline "Harris County teacher among 10 Georgia Teacher of the Year finalists."