The “Teachers of the Year” from the five DeKalb County schools have been announced for the 2012-13 school year.This year's top teachers are Amanda Rhoady, a first-grade teacher at Smithville Elementary School; Sandy Willingham, a third-grade teacher at Northside Elementary School; Tammy Payne, a fourth-grade teacher at DeKalb West School; Suzette Barnes, a seventh-grade teacher at DeKalb Middle School; and Joey Reeder, a history teacher at DeKalb County High School.According to Lisa Cripps, supervisor of instruction for 7-12th grades, the program begins on the school level, moves to the system level, the regional level, and then to the state level.Competition for system-wide and regional levels will continue through February.Should these teachers win at the regional level, they will represent DeKalb County at the state level in March.The Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program is designed to promote recognition, respect and appreciation for teachers; to stimulate interest in teaching as a career; and to encourage public involvement in education.The program is sponsored annually by the Tennessee Department of Education and the Niswonger Foundation.The Tennessee Teacher of the Year will represent Tennessee at the National Teacher of the Year competition, which is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic, Inc.Teachers of the Year are selected competitively through five cycles: Building, System, Field Service Center Region, Grand Division and State; and from three categories (levels of teaching); Grades Pre- K-4, 5-8, 9-12.Teachers selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources.State recognition/awards include a banquet honoring the nine State Teacher of the Year finalists and certificates of appreciation from the Governor.In addition, the State Finalists and the State Teacher of the Year receive cash awards from the Niswonger Foundation.