Teacher of Year thinks 'outside the box'

On hand for the announcement were the members of the selection committee: Barrow County Board of Education members Lynn Stevens and Will Dunn; Vicki Murch, a former school resource officer who now works for Barrow County’s Superior Court judges; Meggan McNally, a Yargo Elementary School teacher who took home the same county honor last year, and businessman Kenny Lumpkin.

Stevens told the crowd of about 100 students, teachers and administrators that Mitchell was the unanimous choice of the selection committee not only because of his classroom skills, but also because of his mentoring of students and his ability to think outside the box.

When recession-era budget cuts threatened to put an end to science field trips, Mitchell obtained a commercial driver’s license so that he could drive school buses on the trips. This week he drove his students to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

“We are so proud of this man right here,” Stevens said. “He is an outstanding teacher.”

Winder-Barrow High School principal Al Darby said Mitchell also makes it a point to build good relationships with his students.

“He gets to know the kids and where they come from,” he said after the ceremony. “He brings real-life relevance to the classroom.”

Darby said one of the most meaningful aspects of being named teacher of the year is that each school’s teachers pick the initial slate of 16 nominees.

This year’s other nominees were Yasmeen Pollock, Auburn Elementary School; Kay Holloway, Bethlehem Elementary School; Val Hyde, Bramlett Elementary School; Libby Myers of the College and Career Preparatory Academy and Performance Learning Center; Alicia Bates, County Line Elementary School; Jan Moore, Holsenbeck Elementary School; Natalie Horne, Kennedy Elementary School; Kristen Elrod, Statham Elementary School; Pam Rogan, Yargo Elementary School; Charlotte Land, Haymon-Morris Middle School; Trey Neupert, Russell Middle School; Audrey Smith, Westside Middle School; Julie Rutledge, Winder-Barrow Middle School; and William Harrell, Apalachee High School.

The three finalists in addition to Mitchell were Holloway, Neupert and Myers.

The county’s Teacher of the Year in 2010 was C.J. Wilder, who teaches French at Winder-Barrow High School.