The Georgia Independent School Association has named Lakeview Academy’s Elizabeth Davis the lower school teacher of the year.
Davis was awarded this state-wide honor in a recent ceremony.
“It is such a privilege to be a part of the Lakeview Academy family, and I am so thankful that I work with such an incredible team of people who put the needs of our students first," Davis said. "It is such an honor to represent our school as the GISA Teacher of the Year,” Davis said.
According to a press release, she was nominated by Lakeview Academy’s Lower School Director Mary Steensma and selected from 160 GISA-school nominees.
GISA teacher of the year nominees were required to write an essay on the topic “What Teaching Means to Me”, and finalists participated in an interview with the GISA executive panel.
Davis teaches second grade at LA and has been with the school since 2017. Prior to working at Lakeview, Davis taught kindergarten, first grade, gifted second grade, and gifted third grade over the course of twelve years in Lumpkin County. During that time, she worked in surrounding counties providing professional development on grading and reporting. She earned her B.S. in Early Childhood Education and Special Education with an endorsement for the teaching of reading from the University of North Georgia and M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education and Gifted Education.
“Elizabeth has an energy that is contagious with the teachers around her. She also influences her students to learn in a fun, loving environment that allows students to stretch to reach their goals. We are proud of Elizabeth’s achievement as it is well deserved,” Lakeview Head of School John Simpson said.
Davis explains that to her, teaching is about so much more than reaching standards.
“Teaching is an opportunity to make a student feel special, valued, and successful. I firmly believe that behind every successful child, is a team of people who are working to build that child up emotionally, socially, and academically,” she said. “My goal when I enter my classroom is to make learning exciting and engaging. I want my students to go home each day eager to share what they are learning in the classroom. I want them to go home knowing that their teacher is proud of them and the growth that they are making daily.”
