John Wood Named Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalist
Submission Date: April 14, 2015
Release
Date: For Immediate Release
Contact: J.D. Hardin, 770-957-6601 ext. 161, john.hardin@henry.k12.ga.us
(Release
# 0050-04-15)
John Wood Named Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalist
Winner to be announced May 8 in Atlanta
HENRY COUNTY,
GA – Luella High School art teacher John Wood has been named a finalist for
Teacher of the Year for Georgia. The
announcement was made on Monday, April 13 by State School Superintendent
Richard Woods and the Georgia Department of Education.
The 13-year
veteran teacher becomes the second Henry County teacher in the past three years
to earn the distinction of a top ten finalist.
Eagle’s Landing High School teacher Barbara Rosolino was a finalist in
2013.
Wood was
named Henry County Schools’ Teacher of the Year at the annual Harvest of Heroes
this past October. Wood bested 50
teachers locally to move on to the state competition where he has been selected
among the top 10 of 151 teachers of the year from across the state.
The selection
caught the humble teacher by surprise, but he noted that he is ready to
represent the county with the potential to become the state’s teacher of the
year.
“I am
extremely excited to represent Henry County and Henry County Schools as a
Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalist,” said Wood. “It is my goal to spread the word of the
amazing endeavors we as a school system are moving towards. It is truly an honor.”
With this
designation, Wood will now take part in a more in-depth process to show a panel
of judges what sets him apart from his peers in the classroom. He will give a speech in front of fellow
finalists at an April luncheon sponsored Georgia Power while also sitting for
an interview and providing a video example of his classroom instruction. The Georgia Teacher of the Year will be
announced on May 8, 2015 in Atlanta.
Wood grew up
in metro Atlanta and is a graduate of Mt. Zion High School. He holds degrees from Georgia Southern and
Georgia State University. He started
his teaching career in Henry County in 2002.
“Henry County
Schools is proud of John Wood and his recent accomplishment of being named a
Top Ten Finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year,” said Henry County Schools Superintendent
Rodney Bowler. “We rely upon
outstanding, dedicated teachers to impact our youth and inspire them to strive
to be the best they can be in school and beyond.”
John’s
dedication to his students in and outside of school has made a strong
impression across Henry County, and we are extremely proud that a panel of
judges from across Georgia received the same impression and named him a finalist
for the state’s top teaching honor.”
“John Wood is
a great example of how a teacher can care, have high expectations, help
students daily to reach those expectations and inspire them to do great work,
even beyond what they thought they could do,” shared Smith. “He understands that the arts make those
connections for students among all their areas of study. He works tirelessly
because he wants the best for his students and cares deeply about his
community, knowing that the arts help build a positive, supportive society. “
We Lions are
very proud of him. He is the PRIDE of
the Luella Pride.”
Wood’s strong
passion for teaching encompasses impacting students on their level and engaging
them in ways beyond the typical classroom.
Valuable experiences in project-based learning and relevant work opportunities
are cornerstones for him to be able to broaden student interest in the arts as
a subject and possible career.
“I would say
every child can learn, but we as teachers need to take the time to foster that
learning outside of the classroom in a real-world setting where students can
utilize their skills to work with others,” stated Wood.
For more information
on Henry County Schools, visit www.henry.k12.ga.us. To find out more about the Georgia Teacher of
the Year program, visit www.gadoe.org.
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Photo: John
Wood