FLORENCE, SC – Florence School District One announced its 2016-17 Teacher of the Year on Monday.
The honor went to Mary Woodward of North Vista Elementary School. She was one of 20 applicants up for the award.
Florence One Superintendent Dr. Randy Bridges surprised Woodward at her classroom to let her know she was the winner. Woodward is a music teacher. She’ll represent Florence School District One in this year’s South Carolina Teacher of the Year program.
Woodward says, “A little overwhelmed right now. I’m quite certain that as soon as all of this sinks in I’m either gonna pass out or I’m gonna bawl like a baby but I’m very excited and very very honored and extremely blessed.”
Each of Florence One’s School Teachers of the Year completed a District Teacher of the Year application packet. Recently, a panel of three selection committee members reviewed the application packets, and teachers whose packets received the highest ratings were named Honor Roll Teachers.
Honor Roll Teachers include: Brittany Bennett, Timrod Elementary; Sarah Caulkins, McLaurin Elementary; Mary Woodward, North Vista Elementary; and Bill Ward, West Florence High.
This past week the selection panel visited honor roll teachers’ classrooms and held an interview session with each of them as well. The panel submitted the name of the honor roll teacher who has received highest ratings in this aspect of the selection process to the Office of the Superintendent. Dr. Bridges said his surprise visit to the school to announce the name of the Florence One teacher of the year will first provide the entire school, including faculty/staff and students, the opportunity to celebrate the teacher’s accomplishment of having been named the Florence School District One Teacher of the Year.
The Florence One Teacher of the Year’s name will be submitted to the State Department of Education, and she will vie for the title of South Carolina Teacher of the Year.
