Susan McFadyen of R.L. Norris Elementary School was named McDuffie County Teacher of the Year Tuesday evening.
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Norris Elementary teacher Susan McFadyen smiles Tuesday night as she accepts her golden apple as McDuffie County's 2006 Teacher of the Year.
Photo by Jason B. Smith
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Mrs. McFadyen, a reading and language arts teacher, was visibly touched at the honor, and said, "I have received all kinds of affirmation. Thank you."
While introducing her, Norris Principal Steve Rhodes said, "Visit our teacher of the year's classroom and you'll quickly observe validation of her belief that all students can and will learn.
"In all honesty, I can say I have never visited Mrs. McFadyen's classroom when I didn't leave impressed -- feeling good that she is a teacher at my school."
Mrs. McFadyen, who holds undergraduate degrees from Montreat-Anderson Jr. College and Presbyterian College, earned a Masters Degree in reading from Clemson University.
She began her career in South Carolina, working in three schools there before moving to Georgia. She has taught at Norris Elementary since 1989.
An active teacher support specialist, she is a member of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators and often contacts local legislators in an effort to protect public education.
Mrs. McFadyen volunteers time after school as a tutor, and has served on textbook adoption committees and has worked to develop curriculum guides at the system level.
"Historically, Susan McFadyen's students exceed the standard on state assessments. Just this past year, 95 percent of her students passed the English/language portion of the CRCT. In previous years, 100 percent of her students passed," Mr. Rhodes said.
Mrs. McFadyen received the Teacher of the Year title and a gold plated apple award at Tuesday evening's banquet. All Teacher of the Year nominees received red apple awards from Superintendent Mark Petersen. Other nominees were: Marjorie Seckinger from Thomson High School, Anita Davis from Thomson Middle School, Seymone Terrelonge from Thomson Elementary School, Cindy Eller from Dearing Elementary School, and Sonya Thomas from Maxwell Elementary School.
"You are the heroes. You are the ones changing lives every day," Dr. Petersen told nominees and the other teachers in the audience.
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