The DeKalb County School District announced the 2022 Teacher of the Year last week, with Amanda Mullinax, a librarian and media specialist at DeKalb West School, being recognized with the honor. Mullinax was surprised with the “John Isabell Memorial Award” during the school day on Tuesday, April 12, with a visit by Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, DeKalb West School Principal Sabrina Farler, Assistant Principal Joey Agee, Supervisor of Instruction Michelle Burklow and Federal Programs Supervisor Dr. Danielle Collins.
Mullinax was presented with a school bell, a floral arrangement, dinner gift card, and a certificate granting her a day off from school, in front of some of her students.
“I am very honored, overwhelmed, and blessed just to be acknowledged for what I put into my job because of my students,” Mullinax said.
Mullinax is the Librarian at DeKalb West School for pre-K through eighth grade, and has been a teacher for 21 years, teaching in DeKalb County for 13 years. She has taught third, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade ELA, as well as serving as the librarian.
“This is a blessing and I love my students,” Mullinax added. “I try to do the very best that I can each and every day and I think that is all anybody could be asked to do.”
“Each year we select a Teacher of the Year from each school, but the “John Isabell Memorial Award” is for the whole district. Ms. Mullinax just exemplifies what a teacher is … her love for her students, and her students love her, but also her knowledge of the content and how to get that information across to her students,” said Director of Schools Patrick Cripps.
DeKalb West School Principal Sabrina Farler also had high praise for Mullinax. “Ms. Mullinax shows the love and compassion for every student, every day and it shows in her work. She shows the heart of what a teacher should be and works over 100% every day in her job. She is an amazing lady, mother, spouse, and teacher and it shows in her walk every day.”
Other teachers recognized with “Teacher of the Year” awards for each school were Gary Caplinger, a CTE residential and commercial construction teacher at DeKalb County High School, Teresa Jones, a seventh-grade math teacher at DeKalb Middle School, 5th grade math and science teacher Sarah Storey at Northside Elementary School, and Kindergarten teacher Cristy Spears at Smithville Elementary School.
Dr. Kathy Bryant, Supervisor of Instruction for Grades 6-12, said the School System Teacher of the Year can choose to compete at the District and Region level with hopes of vying for the state title.
“Teachers are first nominated and voted upon within each school for Teacher of the Year by their peers at the school level. Once a teacher is identified as Teacher of the Year he or she can apply to be District and Region Teacher of the Year and can go from there to the state. Regardless we are proud of our Teachers of the Year and would put them up against anybody but when they are able to compete regionally and at the state level that is big,” said Dr. Bryant.
