Posts Tagged ‘Extraordinary Educators’

Ebonie Jones, fourth-grade reading teacher at Oak Hill Elementary, tries to operate her classroom based on the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”   “I have one basic hope for all my students,” Ebonie says, “be a good human! Academics are always important but your…

Growing up, Lauren Smith’s brother might have described her as “bossy,” but she would be quick to clarify, “I was just teaching him.” Like many of our Extraordinary Educators, Lauren knew from a young age that she wanted to be a teacher.   “I have always liked teaching, whether it was my stuffed animals or my little…

For Shana Winstead, Extraordinary Educator at Montlieu Academy of Technology, her path to becoming an educator began from the time she was just a few years old.  “I knew that I wanted to be a teacher after the first day of preschool,” Shana says. “I came home that day and told my mom that I would have my students of my own one day.…

As a High Point University alumnus and former student of High Point City schools, Gary Gray’s love of teaching was built right here in the City of High Point.   “Our schools were a beacon of excellence throughout the State of North Carolina,” Gary says of his time in school. Now as a ninth through eleventh-grade teacher at The Kearns Academy,…

For Freda Walker, K-8 music teacher at Johnson Street Global Studies, teaching is a family legacy. For years, Freda watched her grandmother teach at Bessemer Elementary, as what Freda calls an “example of dedicated service.” Now each day, when Freda walks into her own classroom, she brings the same dedicated service to her own students. That’s why she was nominated by her principal, Kris Wheat, who said…

As a new year begins, we’re thinking of the Extraordinary Educators returning to their virtual and in-person classrooms. While no one could have anticipated just how much time the pandemic would take from our normal school schedule, our High Point teachers continue to adapt and find ways to support our outstanding students.  Today we are highlighting our Extraordinary Educator, Kayla Ranew, social…

Jonathan LeGrande was only in kindergarten when he first experienced what it meant to be a truly extraordinary educator. “My kindergarten teacher, Ms. Joan Burns, inspired me to become a teacher,” Jonathan says. “Her patience and love for children impressed me tremendously. She made learning fun by having meaningful hands-on activities. Even though she was…

When Michelle Smith started out teaching elementary school years ago, she never expected to spend most of her career in a middle school classroom. But now, as an 8th-grade English Language Arts teacher at Ferndale Middle School, she couldn’t imagine anywhere else she’d rather be. Michelle is this week’s Extraordinary Educator because she knows how pivotal…

Courtney Burns, Extraordinary Educator at Fairview Elementary, exudes positivity. And you don’t have to look hard to see just how much that impacts her belief in her students and her school. “Ms. Burns always has a smile on her face and brings her energy and light each day to the school house and community,” says…

For Jose Ascencio, the 9th – 12th grade Spanish teacher at T.W. Andrews High School, his desire to teach goes back to elementary school. When you ask who first inspired him to become an educator, he credits his third-grade teacher, Mrs. Gomez…