SCHS teacher of the year Tonya Hopper

     Top teachers at Stephens County schools have been announced with one of them set to become system-wide Teacher of the Year in the coming weeks.

    The announcements come after the event was postponed nationally in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 “The Teacher of the Year selection process is an important celebration of the excellent teaching we see every day in Stephens County,” said school human resources director John Stith.

 “Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, some of these events had to be postponed,” Stith said.

   Teachers of the Year at Stephens County’s five schools are:

 • Jan Cheek, Big A Elementary School.

 • Laurie Barnes, Liberty Elementary.

   • Kim Deal, Toccoa Elementary.

   • Britney Baldwin, 5th Grade Academy.

    • Susan Allgood, Stephens County Middle School.

   • Tonya Hopper, Stephens County High School.

   One of those will be named the winner for the district in the next few weeks.

 “We will have the judges review each application and choose the overall winner for the school district,” Stith said.

   “We are extremely grateful to be in a position to start the Teacher of the Year process back and recognize the strong teaching and learning in our district,” Stith said.