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Superintedent Randy Fuller; teachers of the year Krysten Gunn, SK Hutchings and Michael Zauchin; and Shelby County Education Foundation Director Kendall Williams pose for a photo following the 2017-18 Shelby County Teacher of the Year celebration.
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Chelsea Park Elementary teacher Cassandra Elmore receives her teacher of the year award from Superintendent Randy Fuller at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Mt Laurel Elementary School teacher Landra Edwards stands with Superintendent Randy Fuller after recieving her Teacher of the Year award at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Oak Mountain Elementary School teacher Cammie Eanes shakes hands with Superintendent Randy Fuller at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Forest Oaks Elementary School teacher Jennifer Williams stands with Superintendent Randy Fuller after receiving her award as Teacher of the Year for FOES at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Inverness Elementary School teacher Jennifer Nix shakes hands with Superintendent Randy Fuller at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Oak Mountain Intermediate teacher Melissa L. Johnson receives her Teacher of the Year award from Superintendent Randy Fuller at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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The Shelby County Schools Elementary and Intermediate school teachers who were named as their school's teachers of the year pause for a photo before the countywide teacher of the year is announced at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017.
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Calera Intermediate School teacher Krysten Gunn (in floral print) reacts to being named the Shelby County Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year for 2017-18. The announcement was made at a celebration on Dec. 4, 2017 in the Oak Mountain High School auditorium.
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Chelsea Middle School's Coach Lee Hibbs stands with Superintendent Randy Fuller at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Oak Mountain Middle School teacher SK Hutchings stands with Superintendent Randy Fuller at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Oak Mountain Middle School teacher SK Hutchings (left) reacts to being named at the Shelby County Middle School Teacher of the Year.
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Oak Mountain Middle School teacher SK Hutchings stands with Superintendent Randy Fuller after being named Middle School Teacher of the Year for Shelby County Schools at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017.
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The Shelby County Schools middle school teachers of the year stand for a photo before the overall teacher of the year is announced at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Chelsea High School teacher Shannon Goodwin stands with Superintendent Randy Fuller at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Oak Mountain High School teacher Michael Zauchin receives his teacher of the year award from Superintendent Randy Fuller at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Shelby County Schools High School teachers of the year pose for a photo before the countywide teacher of the year is announced at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
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Oak Mountain High School teacher Michael Zauchin stands with Superintedent Randy Fuller after being named Shelby County High School teacher of the year.
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Kendall Williams, director of the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation, speaks at the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year celebration at Oak Mountain High School on Dec. 4, 2017. The celebration was held to recognize the teachers of the year from all Shelby County Schools, as well as to recognize the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year for Shelby County Schools as a system.
Teachers and administrators from across the Shelby County School system gathered at Oak Mountain High School Monday, Dec. 4, to celebrate the 2017-18 teachers of the year.
“Thank you does not do enough, but that is one way we can start, is by a simple, genuine thank you for what you teachers do and bring to our kids’ lives every day,” said Shelby County Education Foundation Director Kendall Williams, who hosted this year’s teacher of the year celebration. “… It is an honor for me and for our foundation to honor you here tonight.”
The celebration was a time to recognize all of the school-wide teachers of the year as well as surprise the overall teacher of the year with an award. After all teachers of the year — divided by elementary, middle and high schools — were announced, they stood together to watch a video announcing the system-wide teacher of the year.
The videos interviewed colleagues and students about the teacher of the year, acknowledging their achievements and best qualities as educators.
This year’s Shelby County Schools teachers of the year were Krysten Gunn, a fourth grade math teacher at Calera Intermediate; SK Hutchings, an eighth grade English language arts teacher at Oak Mountain Middle; and Michael Zauchin, the choral director at Oak Mountain High School.
Hutchings has taught for 11 years, with all 11 years spent teaching in Shelby County.
“I feel strongly that teaching is a service-oriented activity, and I am firmly committed to my community by striving for excellence in my field. It is not a job, it is a vocation, and one I feel irresistibly called to do,” Hutchings said in a statement that Williams read during the program.
During the video recognizing Hutchings, OMMS principal Larry Haynes said Hutchings is a teacher who prepares her students for high school, as well as someone who is able to connect with all of her students. A student in the video said Hutchings “just lets you be yourself,” and makes English enjoyable for all of her students.
Zauchin has taught for six years, with four in Shelby County, and is involved in Oak Mountain High School’s show choir and spring musical, the Performing Arts Center Committee, is on the Alabama State Board of choral directors as the contemporary music chair and is a member of the National Association of Music Educators.
In the video for Zauchin, those interviewed commented on the widespread impact Zauchin has had on the school. Students noted his hard work and passion for his craft, with one saying, “He is the most deserving person of this award.”
“'Z’ is for ‘zactly what Oak Mountain needed,” said a fellow OMHS teacher in the video.
The following teachers were recognized:
Elementary school teacher of the year
Laura M. Kaylor, Calera Elementary
Krysten Gunn, Calera Intermediate
Cassandra Elmore, Chelsea Park Elementary
Emily Vansant, Elvin Hill Elementary
Jennifer Williams, Forest Oaks Elementary
Wendy Woods, Helena Elementary
Natalie Landrum, Helena Intermediate
Jennifer Nix, Inverness Elementary
Dora T. Newell, Montevallo Elementary
Landra Edwards, Mt Laurel Elementary
Cammie Eanes, Oak Mountain Elementary
Melissa L. Johnson, Oak Mountain Intermediate
Chanda Jennings, Shelby Elementary
Elyse Bristow, Vincent Elementary
Brooke Brewer, Wilsonville Elementary
Middle school teacher of the year
Mark Windham, Calera Middle
Coach Lee Hibbs, Chelsea Middle
Patsy Casella, Columbiana Middle
Bobby R. Cummings, Helena Middle
Crystal Dreyer, Linda Nolen Learning Center
Carolyn K. Nelson, Montevallo Middle
SK Hutchings, Oak Mountain Middle
High school teacher of the year
Leigh Anne Brown, Calera High
Shannon Goodwin, Chelsea High
Tiffany D. Crumpton, Helena High
Maury Grayson, Montevallo High
Geoffrey Wymer, New Direction
Michael Zauchin, Oak Mountain High
Robert Irwin, Career Technical Education Center
Michelle Branson, Shelby County High
Brooke Gifford, Vincent High