Teachers of the Year named from city schools

Dyersburg City Schools recently named its Teachers of the Year for the 2007-2008 academic year. From left, front, DMS Teacher of the Year Becky Hasselle, DPS Teacher of the Year Edye Heathcott; back, DIS Teacher of the Year Lillie Treadway. Not pictured, DHS Teacher of the Year Suzanne Edwards. Edwards, Hasselle and Treadway will go on to represent Dyersburg City Schools as System Level Teachers of the Year. [Click to enlarge]

The votes have been counted.

And Dyersburg City Schools has named its 2007-2008 Teachers of the Year.

Four Dyersburg educators were recently voted Teacher of the Year, an honor bestowed upon them by the educators who serve beside them each day.

Outstanding teachers include kindergarten teacher Edye Heathcott at Dyersburg Primary School; third-grade teacher Lillie Treadway at Dyersburg Intermediate School; gifted/lead Special Ed teacher Becky Hasselle at Dyersburg Intermediate School and English/Journalism teacher Suzanne Edwards at Dyersburg High School.

Due to differences in grade-level categories for the Tennessee Teacher of the Year competition, only three of the educators will go on to represent Dyersburg City Schools for the next level of competition, the Northwest Area Teacher of the Year.

Edwards, Hasselle and Treadway have been chosen to represent Dyersburg in ninth through 12th grade, fifth through eighth grade and pre-K through fourth grade, respectively.

DPS: Edye Heathcott

Edye Heathcott has served at DPS for her entire eight years in the teaching profession.

She earned an associate's degree from Dyersburg State Community College in 1997, a bachelor's of art in education with a K-8 endorsement from UTM in 1999, and a master's in educational leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2007. She is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa and has served on both the TSIP committee and the Instructional Team at DPS for two years.

She is active in the Dyersburg community, a member of First Baptist Church who works with the children's choir, and regularly volunteers to support the DHS football team.

DIS: Lillie Treadway

Lillie Treadway has served the Dyersburg City School System for the past seven years.

An educator in her 16th year of teaching, she also was employed as a teacher in the Lauderdale County School System from 1992 until 2001, and as an educational assistant from 1987 until 1988.

Currently working on her doctorate at Union University, Treadway has been named an education specialist by Union and has earned a master's in education from Trevecca Nazarene University with an endorsement in beginning administration. She is also a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin and Memphis State University. She is a member of Omega Lambda Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education; a cooperative teacher; and a mentor to new teachers. She serves on the Superintendent Teacher Advisory, Instructional Leadership Team, TSIPP, book-adoption and balanced-literacy committees, and as TFAP leader.

She was also named Teacher of the Year in 2001, was listed in Who's Who Among American Teachers, was twice a nominee for the Cambridge Who's Who Among Executive and Professional Women in Teaching and Education and was awarded membership in the Kappa Delta Pi Society's top 20 percent of students and professionals in the field of education.

"My most valuable teaching strategy is praising students for their successes and effort," said Treadway, whose background and work experiences as a substitute teacher and education assistant influenced her to become a teacher.

"My greatest contributions and accomplishments in education have been effecting change and success in individual student lives," said Treadway in her application. "I believe my tenacity makes me an outstanding teacher. I refuse to give on up any student. ... Through persistence, I strive to be effective, caring, fair, professional, authentic, flexible, knowledgeable, current, challenging, and moral as a teacher."

DMS: Becky Hasselle

Becky Hasselle has taught at Dyersburg Middle School since 2000, serving as lead of the Special Education department since 2002 and as the school's gifted teacher for the past two years. She has also taught in Louisiana and the Virgin Islands in her 17 years of teaching.

Hasselle has earned 24 hours above her master's degree in education and counseling from the University of the Virgin Islands. She is also a graduate of the University of New Orleans, and has completed classes and programs at the University of Tennessee at Martin, Louisiana State University, Nicholls State University and Middle Tennessee State University.

She is a member of the Dyersburg Education Association, Tennessee Education Association, National Education Association, International Reading Association, Tennessee Association for the Gifted, Tennessee Association of Middle Schools, Tennessee Writer's Alliance, Tennessee Geographic Alliance and serves on the board of the West Tennessee Writing Project Advocacy Council.

She has been invited to present at conventions and conferences across the United States and will return to the West Tennessee Writing Project in June as a Summer Institute focal team member.

"I strongly believe that students need to be involved in activities that give them a sense of belonging and self-worth, so I like to provide activities for students outside of school," said Hasselle, who regularly offers field trips, clubs and extra-curricular activities for her students, including service-oriented activities like visiting local nursing homes and sponsoring a child through the Christian Children's Fund. "I am presently sponsoring a newspaper club for sixth-graders, as well as a writing club."

"I believe we have all been influenced by caring teachers who inspired us and touched our lives," said Hasselle in her application. "(I) find teaching to be challenging, stimulating and rewarding. Although it is hard work, the rewards are immeasurable. What other profession offers this kind of opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others and our world? My ongoing accomplishment in education is caring and making a difference."

DHS: Suzanne Edwards

Suzanne Edwards has 28 years experience in what she refers to as her calling to be a teacher. She has taught at DHS for 24 of those years, also educating students at Dyer County High School, the University of Tennessee at Martin and the University of Missouri at Columbia. In addition, she served as admissions counselor at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C.

She has served as a member of the NEA, TEA, DEA, DCEA, National Council for Teachers of English, Conference of English Leadership, Tennessee High School Press Association, Southern Interscholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association and Student Press Law Center. She is also a consultant, facilitator, workshop presenter and moderator for the West Tennessee Writing Project and a judge for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

She has received outstanding teacher recognition by Dyersburg City School System in 1992, the Dyer County School System, Rhodes College, UTM, Texas Christian University and was named to Who's Who Among American Teachers in 2004 and 2006.

She not only teaches Advanced Placement and dual-credit English classes at DHS, she has been chosen to score AP tests for the College Board, as well. She serves as sponsor to the Trojan Torch, DHS's award-winning high school newspaper.

"I have learned over 28 years in this calling that students will jump hoops for teachers they love," said Edwards, who strives to develop friendships outside of the classroom with all the students at DHS. "If they know that I genuinely care, I am in possession of the most powerful tool of all. And it has nothing to do with academics. It has everything to do with caring about people -- really caring. It has to do with a willingness to sacrifice many extra hours and untold energy to reach a goal: my students' success."

"I am adjusting my approach to whatever changes the changing times send my way and I see success with all my students as a personal challenge," said Edwards in her application. "The most important lesson I have learned in my career is that I must adjust my attitude and approaches to find solutions as the world around me changes."

The Teachers of the Year will be honored at the school system's annual retirement dinner at the Professional Development Center on Monday, May 5.

The Teachers of the Year were awarded $200 in Chamber certificates by the school system and will be honored at the system's annual banquet on Monday, May 5, at the Professional Development Center.