Teacher of the Year from Moultrie Middle

Charleston County’s Teacher of the Year is a product of the local school system who sees her role in her Moultrie Middle School classroom as challenger-in-chief.

“My job is to challenge my students to be the best they can be,” said Nancy Dabit, a 6th grade English teacher. “I have dedication and build relationships … then I can learn their interests and pull them in. Once I’ve done that, I hit them with challenges.”

Dabit was named Teacher of the Year at a picnic and celebration at the Charleston RiverDogs game Friday night.

Her desire to push kids to do better and achieve more is a big reason why other teachers look up to Dabit, said Moultrie Principal Anna Dassing.

“I tell her all the time that she’s going to be a great administrator one day,” Dassing said. “She’s the total package in what you’d want from a teacher.”

Dabit is also relatively new to the classroom. She’s only been teaching five years, and that makes the award that much greater, Dabit said.

“I feel extremely honored because of the great caliber of exemplary teachers we have,” Dabit said. “It’s pretty incredible.”

On Friday, she found plenty of familiar faces at the celebration. Three of the five finalists for the award were educators working in Mount Pleasant schools.

Bill Howard, an eighth-grade science teacher at Cario Elementary School; and Elizabeth Parker, a third-grade teacher at Pinckney Elementary School, were among the finalists.

Besides their addresses, the teachers share common threads in their approaches. Howard said he studies students’ interests and incorporates those topics into his teaching.

“I want kids to be eager to learn,” Howard said. “I want to see them get into it.”

Parker said finding students’ interests helps her push students to achieve.

“Everyone has potential that can be tapped,” she said. “With some students it’s easy, but with others it’s hard. It’s my job to find it.”

The Friday events also recognized first-year teachers who are doing it right, and that also proved to be a big score for schools east of the Cooper. John Allen from Cario Middle School and Benjamin Rupp from Wando High School were recognized for their stellar performances in the first year.

Dabit wins $250 from Heritage Trust Federal Credit Union and a one-year lease on a new Car from Volvo of Charleston.

The selection process for Teacher of the Year is fairly intense. Nominees submit an application packet describing their greatest contributions and accomplishments to education and their personal beliefs about teaching.

A Teacher Roundtable then selects five finalists to advance to the final round of
the selection process. The selection panel visits each of the finalists, conducts interviews with each of them and then selects the Teacher of the Year.

Eva Rutiri, a West Ashley High School teacher, received last year's award.