Lesa Hayes has been named the 2016 Teacher of the Year in DeKalb County.
Hayes, a 17-year veteran who teaches seventh grade math at DeKalb Middle School, received the John Isbell Memorial Award and a check for $150 at the ninth annual Teacher of the Year banquet, held at the Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church last week. The award and a check for $150 was presented to Lesa Hayes by Roy Nelson Pugh, of banquet sponsor Liberty State Bank, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, and Lori Isabell, for whose late husband the award is named.
"This is only her second year at the Middle School, but really quickly after she got to the Middle School she became a leader in our building,” DMS Principal Randy Jennings told the assembly at the banquet. “We use her in a lot of different ways. We send teachers to her classroom. We ask her to go to other teachers classrooms to coach and do other things because she has so many strengths. She has such high expectations for her students and her classroom and she demands it out of them every day. It’s an honor to have her as our teacher of the year at DeKalb Middle School."
Keynote speaker at the banquet was 7th District School Board Member Shaun Tubbs, who praised DeKalb County teachers past and present.
"You play such an important role in each and every student's lives,” Tubbs said “You wear many hats. You are a teacher, mentor, friend, and role model to so many kids. To be great educators like yourselves you must have a passion for what you do. You did not choose this job for money but because you had a gift and a passion to teach others. You give hope and encouragement to so many students and you are the backbone of our community. Your influence helps build a future DeKalb County. Sometimes you don't get the praise or a thank you often enough. On behalf of the DeKalb County School Board I want to say congratulations and thank you for a job well done.”
All five local Teacher of the Year contenders were honored by school administrators and presented with the customary school bell for being chosen as Teacher of the Year at their respective schools.
Administrators introduced the Teachers of the Year at their schools, remarked on how they deserved the honor, and presented them with a school bell award.
Leah Magness, a first-grade instructor in her ninth year as a teacher was selected from Smithville Elementary School. Alisha Day, a 14-year teacher who teaches fifth-grade reading, language arts, and social studies in the fifth grade was chosen from Northside Elementary School.
Cynthia Pulley Pulley, in her eighth year as an instructor, and teaches all subjects in the fourth grade was picked from DeKalb West School. Amanda Fuller, an 11th-grade chemistry and biology teacher in her 20th year in the classroom, was selected from DeKalb County High School.
