Tuscaloosa City Schools Presents Annual Apple Awards

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) on Monday celebrated 21 of its best teachers and 23 support employees during its annual TCS Apple Awards luncheon at the Tuscaloosa Rivermarket.

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TCS says winners of the Teacher of the Year categories will go on to the statewide competition and receive $750 each.

Support Employees of the Year were presented with a check for $500.

District-level support employee winners:

• Kacey Robertson-Central Support Team Support Employee of the Year
• Cris Smith - Transportation Support Employee of the Year
• Mable Sharp - Elementary Support Employee of the Year
• Mike Cain - Secondary Support Employee of the Year

District-level Teacher of the Year winners:

• LaDarien-Rancher from Southview Elementary: Elementary Teacher of the Year
• Ashley Farmer from Northridge Middle School: Secondary Teacher of the Year

TCS also recognized Phifer Incorporated and Reading Allies as the first-time recipients of the Shelley E. Jones Community Spirit Award.

TCS says the award recognizes extraordinary support of its schools by an outside entity and has been recently named in memory of the late Shelley E. Jones — a former chair of the Tuscaloosa City School Board, former principal of Woodland Forrest Elementary and a longtime community leader.

Phifer Incorporated won the award for being a beloved Adopt-A-School partner for Westlawn Middle School, while Reading Allies, which supports reading before third-grade initiatives in eight TCS elementary schools, won the community award for its work in tutoring students.

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