Ivester Foundation to award Hall County, Gainesville Teachers of the Year with $500

By Lawson Smith Anchor/Reporter

Posted 8:00PM on Saturday 26th August 2023 ( 1 year ago )

The Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation will be expanding its recognition of outstanding teaching within the Hall County School District and the Gainesville City School System by awarding each school’s Teacher of the Year with $500.

According to the school systems, this award will be in addition to the $10,000 gift each district's district-level Teacher of the Year has received from the foundation since 2020. This expansion will also include a gift of $300 to recognize non-certified employees.

The Gainesville City School System said recipients for 2023 include the following:

Centennial - Fancy Pettit
Enota - Rhonda Moss
Fair Street - Courtney Jones
Gainesville Exploration Academy - Noelle Martin
Mundy Mill - Ana Hortman
New Holland - DeAnna Stovall
Gainesville Middle East - Hannah Reaume
Gainesville Middle West - Jennifer Pendleton
Gainesville High - Sandra Claxton

The district-wide teachers of the year for each respective school district have not been announced.

The annual Teacher of the Year Banquet, which honors both the Hall County and Gainesville City School System’s Teachers of the Year, is also funded by the foundation.

Hall County Schools Superintendent Will Schofield expressed gratitude for the expansion.

“The Ivester family continues to recognize the critical role that teachers and support staff play in the development of children, and thus the overall strength and health of our communities,” Schofield said. “This Idea of celebrating and rewarding those who pour into the well-being of future generations is a legacy worth acknowledging- and a model for all of us to follow. We are grateful.”

Gainesville City School System Superintendent Jeremy Williams was also appreciative of the support for the district.

“This expansion to the school level will be a way to recognize even more of our excellent teaching staff and school personnel,” Williams said. “The generosity of the Ivester family is truly impactful and is deeply appreciated and meaningful.”

“Our Foundation decided early on, to focus on Education,” President of the Ivester Foundation, Lynn Darby, said. “ Part of that focus is to elevate and celebrate the Teachers of Gainesville and Hall County with our Teacher of the Year Awards. This latest extension to the individual school level is a further Celebration of our Teachers and their invaluable support staffs. When you look at successful Americans, many, many times you will see the influence of a Teacher at the Elementary, Middle, or High School level. We simply want to say ‘Thank You’ to the Teachers and support staffs of Gainesville and Hall County.”

http://accesswdun.com/article/2023/8/1201160/ivester-foundation-to-award-hall-county-teachers-of-the-year-with-500