CCSD's 2010 Teacher of the Year Process Overview and Finalists
Overview of the Teacher of the Year Selection Process
Teachers of the Year of the Charleston County School District (CCSD) are selected annually from among approximately 3,500 teachers. Each school names and honors its own Teacher of the Year.
Winners at the school level are given the opportunity to compete in the District level competition. CCSD selects five finalists for the countywide Teacher of the Year honors. Each finalist submits an application, provides 20 minutes of unedited video of instruction, and completes an interview with the final selection panel who will also interview them. Each finalist is invited to attend a banquet at Trident Technical College, where one is named the CCSD Teacher of the Year and receives a one-year lease for a brand new Volvo provided by Rick Hendrick Volvo of Charleston.
For the 2009-2010 school year, 72 schools elected Teachers of the Year, and 54 school winners participated in the District Teacher of the Year selection process. Congratulations to these teachers and their schools.
The Other Four 2009-2010 Finalists for CCSD's Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Mrs. Maisha Rounds and the following four teachers who have been selected as the five finalists for CCSD's Teacher of the Year:
Sarah Earle: French Teacher at Stall High School
Ms. Earle earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from University of South Carolina, and she is currently completing a Master’s in Secondary Administration from Charleston Southern University. During a trip to France with her high school French class, she found herself beginning to “think in French,” and she knew then that her calling was to teach and share her love of French with others. Under her leadership, Stall students participate in the Jefferson Youth Service Initiative, and because of their exemplary community service, Stall was chosen as one of eight high schools to win an award for “outstanding service by a high school.” Sarah seeks to improve her chosen profession by serving in a variety of leadership roles within the school and district, including serving as the chairperson of the Professional Development Focus Team at Stall.
Bill Smyth: Social Studies Teacher at Charleston County School of the Arts
Bill Smyth earned his Bachelor’s degree from The College of William and Mary and his Master’s degree from University of South Carolina. After his first year of law school, he decided to take some time off to rethink his career. Acting upon the suggestion of a graduate school professor, he accepted a job teaching high school and quickly realized that he had found his “niche”. Over the years, he has the unusual experience of having taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In an effort to expose his students to new activities and healthy living, he has taken them kayaking, hiking, sailing, skiing, camping and rafting. A believer in service-learning, he has helped to start Jefferson Service Clubs at eight CCSD high schools, personally assisting one student in his quest to collect money to renovate schools in his native country, India.
Meike McDonald: Math Teacher at Clark Corporate Academy
With both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the College of Charleston, Meike teaches math to high school students who are “at-risk,” ones who have not been successful in a traditional high school setting and who are at high-risk of not graduating. Always the learner, she has taken every opportunity possible to increase her own knowledge by attending conferences, workshops and classes, and strives to improve the profession by constantly sharing with colleagues. One of her gifts is her ability to break down complex problems and communicate the steps students need to follow in order to solve those problems. Math is often the weakest subject for students who come to Clark, but after taking her class, they find themselves finally able to succeed.
Jarrett Vella: Social Studies Teacher at Military Magnet Academy
A graduate of University of South Carolina, Jarrett left teaching early in his career in order to pursue a more lucrative position in the business world. During that time, he continued to teach adult education courses, and after watching his own son struggle through middle school, he realized that it was time to return to his true passion—teaching. He has served as a cooperating teacher for many teacher candidates from The Citadel, and his most recent graduate from that program was voted as the best-prepared teacher of his class. Jarrett believes that teachers in public schools need to become more involved in policy making, and that public schools continue to play a vital role in our country.
