Local Educators Honored as Teacher of the Year Semifinalists

A total of 25 Gwinnett County Public School (GCPS) teachers have been selected as semifinalists for the 2012 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year award.

The semifinalists were chosen from an initial list of 129 GCPS teachers nominated by their colleagues as “Teachers of the Year.”

Dacula area semifinalists are:

• Brittany Palazzo of -- third grade teacher
• Angie Hoffman of -- fifth grade language arts teacher
• Keri Beth Tidmore Jones of -- computer science and yearbook teacher (Grades 6-8)
• Aundrea Muth of -- political systems and AP government teacher (Grade 12)

A selection committee will narrow the pool of 25 semifinalists to six finalists. Committee members will then make site visits to observe the teachers and conduct in-depth interviews. From the six finalists, committee members will select an elementary, middle school and high school teacher of the year. One of these teachers will be honored as the GCPS 2012 Teacher of the Year.

The winner will be announced at the annual “Teacher of the Year” banquet on Nov. 4. The GCPS teacher of the year will move on to compete for the title of Georgia Teacher of the Year.