A 25-year veteran of teaching, Lori Pryor, is the October Teacher of the Month at DeKalb West School.
“I feel honored and loved,” says Pryor, who is in her 26th year at DWS and third as the school’s computer teacher. In addition to her normal devotion and dedication to the job, the former third grade teacher volunteered to return to the third grade classroom again at the start of this school year while Rachel Desimone was on maternity leave the first nine weeks.
“I figured it was easier to get a sub for computer than one to set the tone for the beginning of third grade,” Pryor says. “After about two weeks I got "my groove" back and loved it. I really will miss it.”
Still, she enjoys teaching the entire student body about the computer world.
“I get to connect to all of the students PreK-8,” said Pryor. “I was always afraid of the older ones, but actually they are my favorite age group. I also enjoy not grading papers all weekend.”
“Mrs. Pryor is always looking for and trying new tasks with her students,” says Principal Sabrina Farler. “She challenges them daily to help prepare for high school and careers.”
In addition, Mrs. Pryor teaches English as a Second Language and has returned to Cumberland University for licensing in that area. For the last six years, she’s served as an academic coach. She’s also worked the after school program for about 18 years and Read Night in the library for about 8 years. A few years ago her peers chose Mrs. Pryor as Teacher of the Year to represent D.W.S. at the county level.
Second grade teacher Whitney Brejle who was formerly a student of Mrs. Pryor remembers several fun events in her classroom.
“She let us have a wedding outside during play time for two love birds in the class,” Brejle fondly recalls. She also says Mrs. Pryor used to let them produce their own West school version of a newscast, and let the students take on the teaching role for one lesson at the end of the year.
For part of her honor, Pryor received a free meal from the White Possom Restaurant in Smithville.
