GCS Names Rookie Teachers, Mentor of the Year

Today, GCS celebrated the achievements of its first-year teachers and those that helped them along the way at the annual Mentor of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year event, sponsored by Guilford Education Alliance and BB&T.

Pamela Hall, a literacy coach at Kiser Middle, was named the Rosalyn Tanner Orr Mentor of the Year. In the words of one of her mentees, Krista Pool, "Mrs. Hall has been my rock. Without her guidance in the first few months, my first year of teaching may not have been a success story."

Hall received $1,000 from the Rosalyn Tanner Orr Endowment from the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and a tablet computer from Lenovo. She has been a mentor for 22 years. Other nominees, each of whom received $100, were Temple Cantrell of Kiser Middle, Cathy Haywood of Northwest High, Heather McLamb of Pearce Elementary and Mary Olzer of Triangle Lake Montessori.

Also Thursday, GCS named Monica Doyle of High Point Central High as the secondary and overall Rookie Teacher of the Year. Principal Robert Christina predicted she would later become a teacher of the year at High Point Central. "Her greatest skill set is her ability to engage, relate and enjoy her students," he writes, citing the creative ways she uses music and hands-on activities in her Algebra 1 lessons. Another recommendation calls her one of the best first-year teachers the school has ever had.

As the overall winner, Doyle received a tablet computer from Lenovo. Other secondary nominees included Tiffany Gibson of Jackson Middle and Kim Robson of Twilight School.

Rhonda Terrell of Morehead Elementary was named the elementary rookie teacher of the year. During her first year of teaching, Terrell won praise for her organizational skills and willingness to collaborate with other colleagues. Other elementary nominees were Alison Graham at Reedy Fork Elementary and Aaron Murphy at Bessemer Elementary.