Athens teacher of the year finalists announced

The Clarke County School District has released the following:

Athens, Georgia — The Clarke County School District today announced its three finalists for 2025-26

Teacher of the Year: Stephanie Lewis of Cedar Shoals High School, Timothy Pritchett of Barnett Shoals

Elementary School, and Adrienne White of Barrow Elementary School.

The finalists were chosen from a field of 22 school-level teachers of the year whose applications were

evaluated and scored by a district committee in partnership with the Foundation for Excellence in Public

Education in Clarke County (FFE). The winner, along with the district Support Professional of the Year,

will be announced on Oct. 23 at the district’s Teacher/Support Professional of the Year awards banquet

and will receive the FFE’s annual Mae M. Whatley Teacher of the Year and Janis J. Stephens Support

Professional of the Year awards. The winning teacher will then go on to compete at the state level.

“We look forward to celebrating these finalists, along with all of our building-level teachers and support

professionals of the year. The recognition banquet serves as a small thank you for all they do to make

CCSD stronger every day,” said CCSD Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Scott.

“The building-level teachers and support professionals of the year epitomize all that CCSD stands for - dedication, hard work, and a commitment to our children.”

Ms. Lewis is a 10th-grade special education collaborative science teacher and has been at Cedar Shoals and with CCSD since 2019. Prior to her time in Clarke County, she taught special education for 20 years in the Banks County School System. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Interrelated Special Education

from North Georgia College and State University, a master’s in Integrating Technology in the Classroom

from Walden University, and an Education Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Liberty

University.

Lewis

Mr. Pritchett has been with CCSD since 2019, starting at Whit Davis Elementary before moving to

Barnett Shoals Elementary, where he currently serves as a third-grade homeroom teacher. Before his

time in Clarke County, he spent three years with the Griffin-Spalding County School System – first as a

substitute, then as a paraprofessional, and later as a classroom teacher. He earned a bachelor’s degree

in Mass Communication (Broadcast) from Benedict College and holds an M.A.T. in Early Childhood

Education and M.Ed. in Educational Administration and Policy from the University of Georgia.

Pritchett

Ms. White has been with CCSD and Barrow for five years as a kindergarten homeroom teacher. She

previously taught pre-K for five years in Forsyth County. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Human

Development from Howard University and a master’s in Teaching Elementary Education from Mercer

University.

White

Robins Financial Credit Union is the presenting sponsor for this year’s CCSD Teacher of the Year

program, and Georgia United Credit Union is the presenting sponsor for the Support Professional of the Year program. The annual Teacher/Support Professional of the Year awards dinner will be hosted by Epting Events at its 1055 Barber venue.