Malia Riggs

Elmore Autauga News

The Autauga County Board of Education had standing room only for their regular school board meeting Tuesday night. The School Board, UniServe with the Alabama Education Association and the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce recognized the teachers of the year for each respective school in Autauga County.

However, the board didn’t stop there. The board also recognized Senator Clyde Chambliss and State Representatives Vance Smith, Jerry Starnes and Kelvin Lawrence for their efforts in obtaining over $3 million in grant money for Autauga County Schools.

Autauga County superintendent Lyman Woodfin confirmed that the Alabama K-12 Capital Grant Program was created by the state legislature during the 2023 regular session. This allowed public schools to apply for one-time-funding for needed capital projects such as maintenance, technology improvements, school security enhancements and existing debt service.

This process required local senators and representatives to write letters of recommendation and endorsements for the school systems projects. Woodfin confirmed $2.5 million will be used for debt reduction and the remaining $594, 850 will be used to build an applied science teaching lab in Billingsley.

“We thank you for being an advocate for our students and thank you for the partnership that we are continually building. I appreciate each one of you for being a friend that we can call upon. From the bottom of my heart and from Autauga County Schools, we appreciate all that you guys do,” Woodfin said.

Autauga County Teacher of the Year

The Teacher of the Year program is the most prestigious award for teachers and is administered by the Autauga Education Foundation in partnership with the Alabama Education Association and the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Jenny Jones, a former teacher in Elmore County, is the AEA UniServ director for District 18 for the Alabama Education Association. Jones confirmed that the Teacher of the Year award is open to any Autauga County District School system board certified classroom teacher, librarian, councilor or other certified individuals whose major responsibility is to work with children in a k-12 setting.

Jones also confirmed that a selection committee, who selects the teachers of the year for Autauga County, are appointed by program administrators and they select the winners from the school level.

“One thing I noticed when we were visiting all the schools to announce the winners was when we walked in every single staff said ‘oh, well deserved,’ and that’s what this is about. Not only showing your dedication within these four walls of your classroom, but also having it recognized among your peers and other work educators outside of those walls as well. We’re just grateful to be a part of it,” Jones said.

The Autauga County teachers of the year are as follows.

Prattville Kindergarten: Joni Hibbard

Prattville Primary: Bailey Dare-Till Waller

Prattville Elementary School: Tina McCullers

Prattville Intermediate School: Taylor Moorer

Prattville Junior High School: Kristle Sandlin

Prattville High School: Christopher Davis

Autauga County Technology Center: Joseph Fenske

Daniel Pratt Elementary: Amanda Baker

Billingsley High School: Mary Angela Jones

Pine Level Elementary: Laura Fennell

Marbury Middle School: Hanna Roberts and Jennifer Jacobs