The Hall County School District hosted its 24th annual Night of Honor on Monday at Lanier Technical College’s Ramsey Conference Center.
During the event, HCSD officials recognized each school’s respective Teacher of the Year and thanked several retirees for their service in the district.
Among those receiving recognition was kindergarten teacher Kirby Hunt, who was voted by her peers as Teacher of the Year at Lanier Elementary School.
Hunt told AccessWDUN that teaching her students means setting them up for academic success.
“Teaching means so much to me,” Hunt said. “ It really, really fills my heart in my life. I can't imagine doing anything else. I have loved my time at Linear [Elementary]. I love to pour into kids, especially in kindergarten. It's their first experience at school, and I love for it to be a positive, fun, and encouraging year to set up the rest of their school to be enjoyable.”
Hall County Schools also honored retirees in the district, including three principals who will vacate their roles at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Flowery Branch Elementary School Principal Amy Bright has been with the school district for her entire 31-year career.
“I have worked at several different schools starting at Sardis,” Bright recalled to AccessWDUN.” “Finishing my career at Flowery Branch, I have loved every second. The people I have gotten to work with, the students, the teachers, their parents, and families have just been a blessing”
White Sulfur Elementary School Principal Suzanne Chadwick shared with AccessWDUN her feelings on retiring as the school's final principal as it prepares to merge with Riverbend Elementary School to form Sandra Dunagan Deal Elementary School for the 2024-2025 school year.
“It's definitely bittersweet,” Chadwick said. “I've loved my time in Hall County, but the best part of my story is that I opened White Sulphur as a student when it opened as a brand new school, and I'm closing it as the Principal…I'm super excited for our Panthers to be turned over to Deal Elementary.”
North Hall Middle School Principal Kristin Finley has been with HCSD since 1995, serving in several roles, many of them at North Hall Middle School.
“The time that I have spent here has shown me to grow in more ways than I ever imagined,” Finley told AccessWDUN. “I've been in all kinds of school settings, and I absolutely love everyone that I've had the opportunity to work with through the years.”
The teachers named Teacher of the Year and their respective schools are as follows:
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Sara Gibbs- Academies of Discovery at South Hall Middle School
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Jeremy Purdy -Cherokee Bluff High School
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Jennifer Jones- Cherokee Bluff Middle School
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Lisa Bassett- Chestatee High School
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Shelby Ledford- Chestatee Middle School
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Connie Robbins-Chestnut Mountain Elementary School.
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Tina Hayes- Chicopee Woods Elementary School
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Stacy MacPherson- CW Davis Middle School
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Brittany Holley- East Hall High School
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Lachele Brown - East Hall Middle School
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Nicole Perkins- Flowery Branch Elementary School
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Maureen Kallasta-Flowery Branch High School
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Jessica Baker-Friendship Elementary School
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Emma Stapleton-Johnson High School
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Roy Silvers- Lanier College and Career Academy
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Kirby Hunt- Lanier Elementary School
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Maria McIntyre-Lula Elementary School
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Kimberly Barclay Hill- Lyman Hall Elementary School
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Sarah Walker- Martin Elementary School
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Jessica Hale-McEver Elementary School
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Jessica Smith- Mount Vernon Elementary School
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Daphne Burrier-Myers Elementary School
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Dale Fletcher- North Hall High School
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Kimberly Keough-North Hall Middle School
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Dana Patterson- Oakwood Elementary School
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Paula Barrett- Riverbend Elementary School
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Vicki Dougherty- Sardis Elementary School
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Brittany Field- Spout Springs Elementary School
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Seth Shubert- Sugar Hill Elementary School
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Holly Dorough-Tadmore Elementary School
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Danielle Robinson- The Foundry
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Jenni Lattanzi –Wauka Mountain Elementary School
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Rubia Castro Diaz-West Hall High School
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Jodi Samples-West Hall Middle School
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April Croker-White Sulphur Elementary School
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Cristina Rodriguez- World Language Academy
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Alfredo Hernandez- World Language Academy
