Photo by Erin Nelson.
Caroline Smith Barrow works with students in the Sunbeam Room, the K-5 Life Skills class, as they make gingerbread houses.
Leaders at Vestavia Hills City Schools recently named the 2021-22 “Teachers of the Year” for each of the school systems’ nine schools.
The award is voted on by the teachers’ coworkers.
Cortney McKinney
► Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights, Elementary Teacher of the Year
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: I am a school counselor at Vestavia Hills Elementary at Cahaba Heights. I am in my fifth year at Cahaba Heights and have 18 years in school counseling overall.
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: I am so incredibly humbled and in awe of the fact that my coworkers would think enough of me to nominate me for an honor such as this. This award, in my opinion, should also have the names of 72 other faculty and staff members. I know that I am only as good as the people I have around me, and these people have taught me the importance of collective teacher efficacy and coming together for the common good of each and every child we encounter. I am a better counselor, mom, wife and friend because of the influence they have on me. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent our school in this capacity.
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: One of my favorite scriptures says, ‘Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).’ I truly feel like the best thing I can do for my students is to keep going, keep advocating and keep looking out for their best interests. If I can plant a seed of love and self-worth in their heart and cultivate that through their elementary years, the harvest will come. The future of the world is right inside our school, and I am thrilled to play a small part in helping to create individuals that are kind, respectful and compassionate human beings.
Caroline Smith Barrow
► Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: I graduated from college and began working at Vestavia Hills Elementary East in 2016. I worked at East teaching exceptional education until Dolly Ridge opened in 2019. I have been at Dolly Ridge teaching K-5 exceptional education, the “Sunbeam Room,” ever since.
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: I am still speechless to be awarded such an honor that so many are deserving of receiving. I am proud to represent a school that values the way that each individual student learns. For the past three years, I have had the unique privilege of daily working closely with almost 17 different Dolly Ridge teachers ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade and have been blown away by each of them. Their dedication to not only help provide academic inclusion for all students but to support in fostering lasting friendships has been inspiring. I know for a fact I would not be given the honor of teacher of the year without their support and collaboration!
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: I seek to make every day count! From when they get out of the car in the morning to when they leave in the afternoon, I try to let them see that they are my focus and priority! I aspire to instill confidence in each of my students to accomplish their own personal goals no matter how big or small! I seek for my students to not only gain knowledge but to gain a sense of community and friendship. I hope that they leave every day knowing I am their biggest cheerleader!
Allison Charles
► Vestavia Hills Elementary East
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: I have been with the Vestavia Hills City School system for 16 years. I teach physical education and oversee the morning broadcast.
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: That’s hard to put into words. It is an honor to even be considered for this award. Teaching is not ever a solo activity; I have an amazing support system throughout the building that helps me to be better every day.
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: I try to see every child as they are and find ways to build a relationship with them, so they feel safe and supported when they come to my class. I want to support and encourage my students in a variety of ways. P.E. is not always the easiest or most fun class for many students. Finding activities and new ways to help
them enjoy it is something I feel is very important.
Laney Graham
► Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: I am a third grade teacher at VHELP, and this is my seventh year teaching third grade!
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: I work with a truly exceptional group of colleagues, who through their seasoned practices develop amazing classroom cultures and environments for learning in their own classrooms. To be recognized by these wonderful teachers in such a way was nothing short of an honor. And with this honor I am further driven to be worthy of such a commendation, and to do all that I can to be the teacher my spectacular colleagues see in me.
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: My goal as a teacher is to meet every individual student where they are academically and progress their learning. Through a combination of general group and individual instruction, I ensure that each student has their own personal goals to strive toward in their classroom pursuits. I challenge those who need it to go above and beyond what their natural talent allows, and support with as many resources as possible those who need that nurturing in the classroom. Keeping my lessons as engaging and interesting to what my students find entertaining allows me to cultivate a classroom culture that doesn’t feel too different from how they spend their time at home, and allow them to not only feel comfortable in class, but to have as much fun learning as possible!
Carri Haywood
► Vestavia Hills Elementary West
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: I have been working at Vestavia Hills Elementary West for five years. I am an exceptional education teacher, and for the past two years my role has been co-teaching a fully inclusive third grade classroom alongside a general education teacher.
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: Being named teacher of the year is incredibly humbling. I am so grateful for the recognition of my hard work, but I also know I wouldn’t be where I am without the guidance and support of my team, my administration and my peers.
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: When I am working with a student, I do my best to think of the whole child — not just a goal or a standard. I try to keep in mind what this student needs throughout his or her day outside of academic objectives. I ask myself, ‘What does he or she need to feel happy and successful?’
Photos by Erin Nelson.
Brett Richards, a sixth grade math teacher at Liberty Park Middle School, reviews one-step equations to find the value of “x” with his students Dec. 7.
Brett Richards
► Liberty Park Middle School
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: This is my 14th year at Liberty Park Middle School, one of the original teachers when the school opened back in 2008. I teach sixth grade regular and advanced mathematics.
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: It is a huge honor for me to be named teacher of the year for the school. I am very humbled being nominated by my colleagues.
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: Showing that you care about every student that walks through your door. I meet with students before school to give them one-on-one instruction. I believe in supporting them in any way possible. I am constantly interacting and counseling with students in the hallway, classroom, sporting events and academic events.
Jill Wiggins
► Pizitz Middle School, Secondary Teacher of the Year
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: I have been at Pizitz Middle School for five years. During that time, I have taught seventh grade English, eighth grade English, creative writing and digital media.
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: We have a Pirate Creed at Pizitz: character, excellence, family. To be recognized as teacher of the year by colleagues who feel more like family than coworkers is a tremendous honor.
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: Two of my three children struggle with school — one has autism and the other dyslexia and other learning differences. My goal is to create the kind of learning environment in which my own kids would flourish. I want my English class to be accessible for students who are gifted as well as those who aren’t learning on grade level. I can do this by scaffolding instruction, providing audiobooks, voice to text and introducing students to books that they will love … because life is too short to read bad books!
Jordan Singletary
► Vestavia Hills High School Freshman Campus
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: I have been at Vestavia Hills High School Freshman Campus since it opened last year. Before, I was at the main campus for six years. I teach ninth grade honors world history, and I am the sponsor of Girls’ FCA.
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: More than anything, being named teacher of the year is such an amazing honor because I was nominated by my peers. When you work alongside some extraordinary people that you think the world of and then they choose you as teacher of the year, words can’t describe the gratitude and love I felt in that moment. It reminded me to be confident in who I am as a teacher.
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: In the teaching profession, we always joke about all the different hats we wear. Counselor, educator, friend, parent, coach, party planner, etc. My goal every day is to be what my students need me to be and to meet them where they are. All of that starts with having to really get to know them, their likes and dislikes, their study habits, their home life. Establishing that relationship and rapport with them is very important to me, and I believe in their success in school. Some students need a safe place to hang out, while others need me to make it mandatory that they come to my study sessions.
Photos by Erin Nelson.
Erin Deerman, an English teacher at Vestavia Hills High School, talks with students in her dual enrollment British Literature class, through Jefferson State Community College, about their research papers Dec. 6.
Erin Deerman
► Vestavia Hills High School
Q: How long have you been with your current school, and what is your role?
A: This is my ninth year at VHHS. I teach dual enrollment English, honors English 10, and I sponsor the color guard. I also work with struggling students in an intervention style class called guided study.
Q: What does it mean to you to be named a teacher of the year?
A: I was shocked and humbled to be named teacher of the year. It means so much to me because I was nominated by my colleagues. The faculty and staff at VHHS is unparalleled. Every adult in this building is dedicated to providing the best education possible to our students, and I am so blessed to work with such talented faculty and staff. So many people work tirelessly for these students and the community, and I feel so much pride just to work at VHHS. The fact that my colleagues thought I was deserving of this honor means so much to me.
Q: How do you seek to go above and beyond for your students each day?
A: My goal every day is to be the teacher my students need me to be. They deserve a teacher who is passionate about the subject area, compassionate to students’ needs and dedicated to students’ learning. I try to get to know my students and take an interest in what matters to them to show them that I care about them as an individual learner. I then try to make my instruction matter to them by connecting it to life outside the classroom.
