New Hanover County Schools
NHCS teachers
From left to right: Jenifer Leeds, Rebecca Clark, Meredith Kokoski, Robin Hamilton
The New Hanover County Board of Education and the Wells Fargo Foundation honored 42 teachers and one principal at the Educator of the Year banquet held at Ashley High School on June 10th.
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the Educators of the Year. The following were named New Hanover County Schools' Teachers of the Year:
Elementary School – Jenifer Leeds, 4th Grade Teacher at Ogden Elementary School.
Middle School – Rebecca Clark, Physical Education Teacher at D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy.
High School – Meredith Kokoski, English Teacher at Laney High School.
The 2014-2015 New Hanover County Schools Teacher of the Year is Meredith Kokoski. As the NHCS Teacher of the Year, Ms. Kokoski received a new Toyota Prius II to use for one year, compliments of Hendrick Toyota of Wilmington.
Robin Hamilton, Principal at Parsley Elementary School, was named the 2014-2015 Principal of the Year.
There were approximately 165 in attendance, which included Board of Education members, senior staff, school administrators, teachers, and representatives from Wells Fargo and Hendrick Toyota. Guests were entertained by Jeremy Milligan, music teacher at Holly Shelter Middle School.
Each winner was cited for their outstanding contributions to education and presented with awards from the NHC Board of Education and Wells Fargo Foundation.
Ms. Kokoski and Ms. Hamilton will go on to represent NHCS at the regional level and possibly, advance to the state level.
During the banquet, the Board of Education recognized all of the schools’ 2014-2015 Teachers of the Year, which are as follows:
- Penny Rogers, Alderman Elementary School
- Courtney Alleborn, Anderson Elementary School
- Pamela Highsmith, Ashley High School
- Heather Bass, Bellamy Elementary School
- Donna Davis, Blair Elementary School
- Lyndsay Bloech, Bradley Creek Elementary School
- Judy Creech, Carolina Beach Elementary School
- Barbara Ussary, Castle Hayne Elementary School
- Deborah Southerland, Codington Elementary School
- JoAnne Kaluzny, College Park Elementary School
- Brent Hall, Eaton Elementary School
- Maria Zimmerman, Forest Hills Global Elementary School
- Colbey Garrison, Rachel Freeman Elementary School of Engineering
- Sonya Oates, Gregory Elementary School of Math, Science and Technology
- Kris Florea, Hoggard High School
- Dawn Allan, Holly Shelter Middle School
- Wendy Downing, Holly Tree Elementary School
- Bailey Oelslager, Howe Pre-K Center
- Taylor Spear, Isaac Bear Early College High School
- Dee Perry, Johnson Pre-K Center
- Laura Jolly, Lake Forest Academy
- Meredith Kokoski, Laney High School
- Richard Smith, Mosley Performance Learning Center
- David Tyson, Murray Middle School
- Angela Royal, Murrayville Elementary School
- Aimee Bunker, Myrtle Grove Middle School
- Suzanne Meyer, New Hanover High School
- Molly Davis, Noble Middle School
- Jenifer Leeds, Ogden Elementary School
- Stephanie Blackburn, Parsley Elementary School
- Barbara Lucas, Pine Valley Elementary School
- Justin Merrill, Roland-Grise Middle School
- Emily Mason, Snipes Academy of Arts and Design
- Claire Caldwell, Sunset Park Elementary School
- Molly Blair, Trask Middle School
- Rebecca Clark, D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy
- Sarah Veit, Williston Middle School
- Sean Gould, Mary C. Williams Elementary School
- Karen Marshall, Wilmington Early College High School
- Wanzalla Jackson, Winter Park Elementary School
- Maureen Hill, Wrightsboro Elementary School
- Meaghan Thomas, Wrightsville Beach Elementary School
The following principals were nominated for the 2014-2015 Principal of the Year:
- Margaret Dickens, Castle Hayne Elementary
- Sharon Dousharm, Trask Middle School
- Monica Goza, Winter Park Elementary School,
- Robin Hamilton, Parsley Elementary School,
- Al O'Briant, Laney High School
- Phillip Sutton, Isaac Bear Early College High School
