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Jon Anderson
I’ve been covering schools in one way or another for 31 years, and one thing I’ve noticed is that the teachers selected for Teacher of the Year have some things in common — they all are passionate about what they do.
They love teaching, and they are very knowledgeable about the subject matter they teach. But what sticks out to me more than anything is that the best teachers seem to focus on building relationships and connecting with their students.
They truly care, and students usually pick up on that. And they go to great lengths to make their lessons engaging for students. It doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a lot of preparation and planning — and creativity.
In this edition, I hope you enjoy reading our cover story about this year’s Teachers of the Year for Vestavia Hills, Katie Smith and Hannah Peterson, as well as Emily Reed’s piece on progress being made at the Hub in the Hills nonprofit center that is taking up residence in the former Vestavia Hills Elementary Central.
Happy reading, and Happy New Year!
