Teachers of the Year

Misty Fite

Misty Fite was recently selected as building level Teacher of the Year to represent the Lewis County Elementary School. She is currently teaching 1st grade and has a total of 19 ½ years teaching experience.

Ms. Fite states to ensure student success within her classroom that she tries to establish and communicate clear learning objectives throughout each lesson. Standards are displayed weekly in kid friendly I CAN statements. These weekly standards are discussed on Monday and revisited throughout the week as corresponding lessons are taught.

She provides modeling for each lesson and incorporates a variety of structured learning activities that are differentiated to meet the requirements of each student.

Ms. Fite further states that whenever opportunities present themselves within lessons and activities within the classroom, she relates them to current events in our country and community, community leaders, and occupations. She incorporates a career day and students are taught about future occupations. She strives to teach the importance of giving to others and how it helps those in our community.

Throughout the year, she looks for ways for her students to fulfill the school's mission statement "The Mission of Lewis County Elementary School is to develop good character, encourage a love of learning, and foster a sense of civic responsibility."

Samantha Webb

Samantha Johnson Webb was recently selected as building level Teacher of the Year to represent the Lewis County Intermediate School. She is currently teaching 3rd grade and has a total of 15 years teaching experience.

Ms. Webb tries to connect almost everything that she teaches with the outside world. Many times, before she introduces new material, she gives examples on how an adult would use this skill in everyday life. She believes that the student's successfulness is a goal that many are working towards every day.

During the lesson she considers her students being successful if students are willingly answering questions aloud, understanding the content that is introduced and can easily do independent work without help.

At the end of the year when the students are reviewing for state testing, she knows that if her students remember the material that was taught months ago and can apply the material to new ideas they are successful.

Tara Tiller

Tara Tiller was recently selected as building level Teacher of the Year to represent the Lewis County Middle School. She is currently teaching 7th grade Math and has a total of 23 years teaching in Tennessee Public Schools.

Ms. Tiller begins the school year with a benchmark assessment for her students. From there, she begins making notes, reviewing data from the prior year, communicating with prior teachers and collecting evidence as to where they need to begin.

She states that it is important to understand what students know and can do from the beginning. She further stated that since every student learns differently and at a different pace, what success looks like for each of my students is different and I try to recognize that as well was monitor how each student is progressing.

She has been very instrumental is developing "Fun-Friday-Tutoring" which gives middle school students an opportunity to do something fun and creative. The main emphasis for implementing this program was to help create a positive atmosphere where students are rewarded for their diligence, as well as allow for a consistent time for students to address their creative side with activities that promote fun, reflection and some social time. Teachers have seen an improvement in student's behavior, attendance and their overall work performance and completion.

Ms. Tiller believes, that as an educator, it is important to create a classroom that empowers all students with learning mindsets and skills that not only will help them succeed in school but be successful in life.

Tabitha Coble

Tabitha Coble was recently selected as building Teacher of the Year to represent the Lewis County High School. She is currently teaching 10th grade Biology. Ms. Coble has been teaching at her current position for 3 years and has a total of 19 years teaching experience.

When Ms. Coble started teaching at Lewis County High School, she stated that she quickly found a home. However, one thing she noticed was a lack of collaboration between the science and math departments. In order to improve this collaboration, she encouraged other teachers to merge the existing math and science clubs to form a STEM club.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) is a wide-open field for students who are graduating and the ACT has started reporting a STEM score for students who takes the test. She stated that there have been some limitations to getting the club up and running due to the pandemic this school year, but she is still working towards plans for the club.

Ms. Coble is glad to see that the work that her students and her do to improve ACT Science scores is successful. In many cases, this can be measured not only using data, but also in actual dollars in scholarships earned by her students.

She further stated that she tries to build an understanding that her students will be the future of our school, our community, our state and even our country. It is up to the student to make the most of their life so that they can become our leaders in the future.