Hall County School District has made its selection for their Teacher of the Year for 2024-2025.
Rubia Castro of West Hall High School currently teaches English as a Second Language, IB Spanish, and AP Spanish. During her tenure at West Hall High School, Ms. Rubio has also served as lead ESOL Teacher, World Scholars Program of Choice Coordinator, Dual Immersion Teacher, Sources of Strength Advisor, and Sponsor of HOPE (Hispanic Organization Promoting Education).
Superintendent Will Schofield and Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, Kevin Bales surprised Castro and her students on Thursday with the announcement, joined by the West Hall High School Administration.
Bales says in a release by the school system, “In addition to being an outstanding instructor, Ms. Castro also exemplifies what it means to be a part of an organization that is striving to be the most caring place on earth. Her creation of the Bilingual Mentorship Program, which gets students involved with welcoming and acclimating new students who are English language learners, is an excellent example of her caring nature.”
Principal Ley Hathcock added, “Rubia Castro is the rare teacher who has the perfect blend of passion, skill and determination sufficient to envision, build and manage programs that truly impact the culture of the entire school community.”
Castro herself said, “I am so thrilled to work in a place where we strive to be the most caring place on earth. It does not mean to be the perfect place, with the perfect people, or maybe the most knowledgeable ones; it means to live each day embracing kindness, working for the common good, and practicing compassion and listening with your whole heart."
Castro will now move on to compete for the honor of Teacher of the Year for the state of Georgia. She will also receive a check for 10,000 dollars from the Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation. The foundation has provided the check to every HCSD Teacher of the Year since 2019.
