City names Teachers of the Year

Dyersburg City Schools recently named its Teachers of the Year for the 2010-2011 academic year. From left, front, DMS Teacher of the Year Constance Thompson, DHS Teacher of the Year Deborah Gatlin, DPS Teacher of the Year Mia Martin and DIS Teacher of the Year Maxcine Carter. Carter, Gatlin and Thompson will go on to represent Dyersburg City Schools as System Level Teachers of the Year.

The votes have been counted.

And Dyersburg City Schools has named its 2010-2011 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 Mia Martin of Dyersburg Primary School; third-grade teacher Maxcine Carter of Dyersburg Intermediate School; seventh-grade Special Education/Inclusion teacher Constance Thompson of Dyersburg Middle School; and science teacher Deborah Gatlin of 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.

Carter, Thompson and Gatlin have been chosen to represent Dyersburg in the pre-K through fourth grade, fifth through eighth grade and ninth through 12th grade categories, respectively.

DPS: Mia Martin

Mia Martin has served as an educator for 12 years at DPS. Martin also worked as a teacher's assistant in the Dyersburg City School System while she earned her degree.

Majoring in Elementary Education at Dyersburg State Community College from 1994-1996, Martin graduated with a grade-point average of 3.37 and transferred to the University of Tennessee at Martin, where she majored in Human Learning, K-8. She graduated from UTM in 1998 with a grade-point average of 3.47, earning her Bachelor's Degree.

She joined the DPS faculty as a first-grade Title 1 reading teacher in 1998. She has been a kindergarten teacher at the school since 1999. Selected as a teacher mentor for kindergarten teachers for the new literacy curriculum in 2005, she has also served as lead teacher in a team-teacher setting and peer supervisor for various projects and committees. She uses her knowledge to aid DPS teachers who are new to the profession, helping them become familiar with curriculum standards, materials and resources, evaluation preparedness and other professional responsibilities.

A member of the National Education Association, Martin served that organization as a building representative for two consecutive years, and is currently a committee member of the School Wide Positive Behavioral Team.

Martin has been nominated in Who's Who Among Teachers and granted tenure in 2001.

She is an active member of Tabernacle Baptist Church, where she has served as Sunday school teacher, Vacation Bible School director, youth leader for Church and Community Outreach, choir member and Youth Choir director.

She was also selected as a Summer Reading Camp Instructor for WKNO television, and served as a Summer Feeding Program Director through the Department of Tennessee Agriculture Extension Agency from 2001-2004.

"I am supportive of the ideas and changes that are continually being made to improve and promote a positive environment where students can learn and feel safe," said Martin. "I have a strong commitment to my school and community and believe all students can be successful."

DIS: Maxcine Carter

Maxcine Carter is serving her 15th year in her current position as a third-grade teacher in the Dyersburg City School System.

She has 34 years teaching experience, employed by the Memphis City School District from 1975 through 1994 before serving the Dyersburg community as a third-grade teacher at both Dyersburg Primary School and Dyersburg Intermediate School.

Carter graduated from LeMoyne-Owen College with a Bachelor of Science in Education and an Elementary Education License in 1974, going on to earn a Master's in Education from Memphis State University in 1980.

She has served the Dyersburg Education Association as an Election Committee representative and a member of the Minority Affairs and Human Relations Committee. She has also held membership in the Memphis Education Association, the Tennessee Education Association and the National Education Association.

Carter's leadership activities include STEP - Supporting Trojan Education Process; Balanced Literacy Program; grade chairwoman for second-grade teachers; a mentor and cooperating teacher for student teachers; a teacher for Focused Instruction Program; a past team member of the Positive Behavior Support Committee; and lead teacher for the Science Textbook Adoption Committee.

She has been honored with more than 25 years worth of Perfect Attendance awards and certificates, was nominated for DPS Teacher of the Year, received the Second Place School Spirit Award at DIS and was a Lifeline Blood Service Classroom Award winner and is a two-time winner of the VERB Exercise and Fitness Class Award. She also received the Spirit of Longevity and Patience Plaque from Mt. Zion Church in Halls.

Carter is a member of the Antioch Jones Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves as choir member and assistant director of the choir and Sunday school teacher. She has also served as a missionary volunteer for several churches, as a motivational speaker for adult and youth groups, a Christmas Angel Tree for Dependents of Inmates volunteer and a Christmas Basket volunteer. She is a an advocate for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and missionaries, aids with donations to Goodwill and the Union Mission and is a past volunteer for the Civitan Club.

She is a subscribing life member of the NAACP, receiving the Volunteer Service Plaque from the Dyer County Chapter in 2002 and a past Executive Committee member. She also served the Community Resource Development of Dyer County as a past secretary, presenter of awards, volunteer award recipient and Kwanzaa committee planner. She has also served as a volunteer group leader for the Union Mission Camp and as Altruistic Committee chairwoman for Alpha Delta Kappa.

Carter's favorite quote on education is "To Teach is to Touch Lives." That philosophy is apparent in her day-to-day service to the local community.

DMS: Constance Thompson

Thompson has served eight of her 11 years in education in her current position as seventh-grade Special Education/Inclusion teacher at Dyersburg Intermediate School.

She received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Tennessee State University in 1996.

While completing her Criminal Justice Practicum, Thompson learned that she wanted to make a difference in the lives of students before the juvenile court and probation system kicked in. She decided then to enroll in TSU's Special Education program.

She earned her Master's of Education, Special Education from TSU in 2000. From 2001-2003, she earned Above Master's and certification in K-12 Educational Leadership from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Thompson began her teaching career as a Special Education Teacher in Madison Special Education School in Nashville in 1998. She moved to Haywood Elementary School in 2000 and Dyersburg Middle School in 2001, where she remains today.

She is a member of the Dyersburg Education Association, serving as Minority Affairs chairwoman, parliamentarian and is a member of the Executive Committee. She also served on the 2007 Math Textbook Adoption Committee, on the Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, as a member of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association and as Assistant DMS girls' basketball coach. She is also a member of the National Education Association.

Thompson has shared her expertise in several professional presentations and attended the 2003 "Inclusion Solutions" West Tennessee Special Education Conference, in Memphis.

In the community, Thompson participated in the NAACP's 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. March, serves as chairwoman of the family-based Helen Lanier Award scholarship, and participates at least once a month in the Day of Hope mission project in Caruthersville, Mo. She also encourages her students to participate in community programs including the 2009 Adopt a Child Christmas project.

She is a member of God's Place Church, where she serves as the young children's Sunday school instructor and in the Technology and Media ministries.

"I embrace the teaching philosophy that all students have the ability to learn," said Thompson. "They learn at different academic paces and others within consistent differentiated instructional methods."

DHS: Deborah Gatlin

Gatlin began her teaching career at Lakes High School in Tacoma, Wash. in 1974. She also taught in New Orleans, Avondale and Gretna, La.; and Ripley and Halls, Tenn. before joining the faculty at Dyersburg High School in 1998. In 2005, she added Dyersburg State Community College to her resume, as well.

A 1971 Graduate of DSCC herself, Gatlin also earned a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education Biology and Chemistry from the University of Tennessee at Martin, completed graduate studies at the University of New Orleans from 1983-1984, earned her Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Memphis in 1996, completed the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship at Princeton University in the summer of 1998, and completed post-graduate study at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, Mass. in 2008.

She has taught 10th through 12th grade at DHS since 1998 and biology on the college level at DSCC since 2005.

Gatlin is a member of the Tennessee Science Teacher's Association, the National Science Teacher's Association, the American Biology Teacher's Association and the National Alpha Delta Kappa Teacher's Sorority.

She currently serves or has served as leader of the Mentor Committee for non-tenured teachers at DHS, on the Superintendent's Advisory Committee, the DHS Leadership Team and as corresponding secretary and fraternity educator for the ADK Sorority.

Gatlin's community involvement includes teaching several different classes in her church, where she also served in roles of leadership and responsibility on a variety of committees. She has also served as a Girl Scout and Boy Scout leader.

Gatlin was influenced to become a teacher by outstanding examples in her own education. Although her instruction is anchored in science, she believes teaching is "more art form than science."

"There is true beauty in a lesson well executed and well received," said Gatlin. "One of the things I love most about teaching is the continual opportunity for fresh starts and new beginnings. Every year brings with it hope and excitement for both student and teacher."

The 2010-2011 Teachers of the Year were recognized at the March meeting of the Dyersburg City School Board and will be honored at the city system's annual banquet on Monday, May 3, at the Professional Development Center.