District Names Finalists For Outstanding First Year Teacher
(April 5,2011)—First year teachers from Darlington High School, Pate Elementary School, and Thornwell School for the Arts have been chosen as finalists for the Darlington County School District’s Outstanding First Year Teacher award. The award recognizes first year teachers who show exceptional promise in their first year of teaching. To be eligible, a teacher must be working under an induction-level contract in Darlington County School District.
A panel of judges composed of Honor Roll teachers and former Outstanding First Year Teachers narrowed the original field of seven teachers down to three finalists based on the nominees’ applications and essays.
The three finalists are Jessica DeStefano, an exceptional education teacher from Darlington High School; Irby Haynes, a kindergarten teacher from Pate Elementary School; and Brandy Benjamin, a second grade teacher from Thornwell School for the Arts.
Seven teachers were nominated by their principals for the award (listed alphabetically, by school):
• Whitney Rogers, Brunson-Dargan Elementary School
• Jessica DeStefano, Darlington High School
• Jamie Horton, Darlington Middle School
• Landen Marie Stauch, Hartsville Middle School
• Kenneth Butler, Lamar High School
• Irby Haynes, Pate Elementary School
• Brandy Benjamin, Thornwell School for the Arts
The three will now go through an interview process with the judges and the winner will be announced at the Board of Education meeting on April 11 at Hartsville High School.
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