CULLOWHEE – Leanne Rose, a second-grade teacher at Park View Elementary School in the Mooresville Graded School District, was named the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) Beginning Teacher of the Year in a special ceremony Thursday, December 5, 2019.
The award was presented for the first time at the NCCAT Cullowhee Campus with finalist from across the state in attendance.
“I am proud of all our finalists and happy for Ms. Rose and her school district,” explained NCCAT Executive Director M. Brock Womble. “NCCAT is a long-time supporter of teaching excellence and a natural expression of that support is to recognize the best of the beginning teachers in our state. We’ve had a wonderful week of professional development and then an inspirational evening to celebrate our state’s teachers.”
Rose wrote in her application: “My philosophy of instruction is to teach every student as a unique individual with specific physical, educational and emotional needs. Successful instruction of the “whole child” requires both life and executive functioning skills.”
Runner up for the honor was Cristina Lane of Wake County Public Schools.
The 2019 NCCAT North Carolina Beginning Teachers of the Year finalists are:
- Sara Bowen Andrews, Rockingham County Schools
- Tina Brown, Beaufort County Schools
- Katelyn Bumgarner, Wilkes County Schools
- Melissa Canter, Alexander Schools
- Tria Cope, Randolph County
- Rebecca Dearien, Craven County
- Kennedy Dockery, Mount Airy City Schools
- Victoria Freeman, Gaston County Schools
- Megan Houchins, Iredell Statesville Schools
- Cristina Lane, Wake County Public Schools
- Lara Johnson, Bladen County Schools
- Sarah Lawrence, Bear Grass Charter School
- Sydney Paladino, Envision Science Academy Charter
- Kesli Pinkston, Haywood County Consolidated Schools
- Robin Kent Pittman, Careret County
- Damarius Prieto, Cumberland County
- Allie Reitzell, Newton Conover Schools
- Elizabeth Riddick, Perquimans County
- Justine Riddick, The Point College Prep
- Alaysha Rogers, Halifax County Schools
- Leanne Rose, Mooresville Graded School District
- Allison Snyder, Buncombe County
- Rachel Somerville, Henderson County Public Schools
- Erin Stewart, Lenoir County
- Alison Stuart, Catawba County Schools
- Reba Warren, Pitt County
- Ziena Walker, Innovative School District
- Bethany Young, Granville County Schools
The NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year process was developed to honor beginning teachers who are the future of education in North Carolina. Information about the program is online at www.nccatbtoy.com.
The NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year prizes include:
- $5,000 cash prize
- Participation in a GoGlobal NC trip to Australia in 2020
- Instructional supply funds for the teacher's school
- $2,000 cash prize to the runner-up
- Travel expenses for regional winners to participate in NCCAT professional development and leadership development