Stephens Co. Teacher of Year Named

The Stephens County School System names its teacher of the year for this year.

Last week, the School System announced that Stephens County Middle School 7th grade math teacher Joni Whitfield had been selected as the system teacher of the year for Stephens County.

Stephens County School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey said Whitfield does a great job motivating students and getting students excited about math.

“Joni is a great teacher and we are very impressed with the things we see when go in her classroom,” said Dorsey. “You absolutely see engaged students. They are not just talking about the math and working the math. They are applying the math. She is a great teacher that knows how to put both sides of your brain into motion.”

He complemented Whitfield’s creativity in the classroom as well.

Whitfield was chosen as the System’s Teacher of the Year from a group of six individuals named the Teacher of the Year at each Stephens County school.

Those other school-level Teachers of the Year in Stephens County are Raymond Quintero at Stephens County High School, Lisa Wall at Toccoa Elementary, Keith Foster at Liberty Elementary, Ginger Taylor at Big A Elementary, and Lynn Towe at Eastanollee Elementary.

Dorsey said all of the winners are excellent teachers who all represent the school system well.

“We know that any of them could have made excellent system teachers of the year,” said Dorsey.

Whitfield will now move on to represent Stephens County in the state Teacher of the Year competition.

Dorsey said the school system wishes Whitfield the best of luck in that competition.