6 Gwinnett County Teachers Are Finalists For Teacher Of The Year

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Six Gwinnett County teachers have been selected as this year’s finalists for the Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year title, according to the district's news release.

The 2021-2022 finalists are Jamie Garcia Caycho of Arcado Elementary School (Lilburn), Kelly Powell of Puckett’s Mill Elementary School (Dacula), Taniesha Pooser of Berkmar Middle School (Lilburn), Jenny Stark of North Gwinnett Middle School (Sugar Hill), Lee Allen of Archer High School (Lawrenceville), and Erin Thompson of Brookwood High School (Snellville). On December 7, GCPS will host a virtual celebration honoring this year’s finalists and naming its top teacher.

The selection committee includes former teachers of the year, local school administrators, and central office staff. They chose the six semifinalists from a list of 25 semifinalists. In the beginning there were 139 on the lists.

For the final part of the judging process, the selection committee will conduct in-person and virtual visits and complete thorough interviews with each educator. The committee will look for original teaching methods, study the educator’s teaching philosophy, consider the influence the teacher has had on the teaching practices of his or her colleagues, and review any special class projects the teacher has initiated.

Based on their findings, committee members will select an elementary, a middle, and a high school Teacher of the Year. One of the three level winners will be named Gwinnett’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.