2013 Georgia teacher of the year : Lauren Eckman / Georgia. Dept. of Education

Honoring Excellence in Education
EXCELLENCE RECOGNITION

2013 Georgia Teacher of the Year
Lauren

Lauren Eckman is a teacher of the blind and visually impaired at the Georgia Academy for the Blind, where she teaches high school English Language Arts and Transition courses. A strong advocate of special education, Lauren works diligently to empower her students to achieve their highest levels of independence by aiding them in the acquisition of reading, writing, research, and analytical skills in the traditional curriculum. Additionally, she assists her students in the development of self-advocacy, as well as social and daily living skills in the Expanded Core Curriculum, which is a prescription of specialized courses designed to provide compensatory skills to individuals with visual impairments.
Lauren attended public school in Douglas County Georgia. She graduated with honors as the Salutatorian from Douglas County High School. She received her Bachelor's degree in English with Secondary Certification, summa cum laude, with honors at Wesleyan College. She also graduated summa cum laude from the University of Louisville, where she earned her Master's degree in Special Education with Certification in Visual Impairments. Currently, she is pursuing a Doctoral degree in Special Education through Nova Southeastern University.
Lauren believes strongly in high expectations for all students and that all students can achieve through appropriate differentiation. Through these core beliefs, she has helped her students gain the skills and knowledge

"During my teaching career, I have learned that my success as an educator can and should
be measured by the success of my students; thus, I believe that my greatest accomplishment has been assisting my students to attain high levels of achievement."
Lauren Eckman
necessary to pass high-stakes testing, such as End of Course Tests, the Georgia High School Graduation Tests, and the Georgia High School Graduation Writing Test, on which her students have had a 100% pass rate for 7 out of 8 years that she has taught at the Academy. In the long term, Lauren's wish is to promote awareness in the greater community of not only the capabilities of her students with visual impairments, but also the capabilities of all students because she believes that every child can succeed.

Teacher of the Year
The Georgia Teacher of the Year (GTOY) program strives to promote and retain quality teachers. District Teachers of the Year are honored at a state recognition banquet each spring. In a surprise announcement, the GTOY is named from a pool of ten finalists. The GTOY serves as an ambassador for education, traveling the state speaking to various educators and community groups. The GTOY also competes in the National Teacher of the Year program, representing Georgia at several national conferences with other State Teachers of the Year.

2014 Teacher of the Year
Timeline
n November 30, 2012 District TOTY Application Deadline
n March 2013 Ten Finalists for GTOY Announced
n Spring 2013 Interviews and Evaluations
n TBD Luncheon for Finalists
n May 2013 Teacher of the Year Banquet 2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year Announced
n July 1, 2013 2014 GTOY Term of Service Begins
Sponsored by

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION Topic 1
"Teaching Tips" This discussion will focus on practical information and advice for pre-service and new teachers that are not found in
typical textbooks.
Topic 2
"Don't Assume...Assess" This discussion will focus on utilizing formative and summative assessments to guide instruction and to attain high
student achievement.
Topic 3
"Getting Ready for the World" This discussion will focus on preparing students to transition from high school to the adult world. Should we specify students with disabilities or leave it open
for all students?
Topic 4
"Imagine the Possibilities"
This discussion will focus on three key possibilities in public education: (1) reaching every child; (2) empowering every child to succeed; and (3)
discovering the unique gift of every child.

Topic 5 "Pop Culture in the Classroom" This discussion will focus on Georgia's
implementation of the federal "Race to the Top" grant.
REQUEST FOR APPEARANCES
Lauren Eckman is available to speak to education, business, civic or
government groups and to provide workshops to interested educators. She is also available for presentations
at professional conferences. Requests for appearances should be
sent directly to Ms. Eckman.
E-mail: leckman@doe.k12.ga.us Phone: 404.809.8332
Although no honorarium may be given, reimbursement for travel expenses (mileage, hotel, meals) associated with the visit is expected.

Georgia Schools
of Excellence
The Georgia Schools of Excellence in Student Achievement (SOE) program honors schools from each of the state's 13 congressional districts. Elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement are awarded this distinction. The 2011 Schools of Excellence were presented with a check for $1,000 from Georgia Natural Gas TrueBlue Schools and the faculty and staff were treated to a spa day from United Healthcare.
"On behalf of all of the Jones Elementary School family, I can honestly say that receiving the Georgia School of Excellence Award last year was an honor that we will cherish for many years to come. Hard work, togetherness, flexibility, and meeting the challenge of striving for excellence in all we do pays off. Our cohesive, veteran staff spends countless hours preparing our young children in Bremen to be educationally sound and equipped to meet and exceed the standards. We are grateful to the Georgia Natural Gas Company for their gift and continued support of all public educators in Georgia."
Principal Bill Garrett Jones Elementary School Bremen City Schools
"Winning the 2011 School of Excellence in Academic Achievement at Vanderlyn Elementary was quite an honor. It showed us as a staff that the hard work and dedication to teacher quality and rigorous instruction paid off. It was a wonderful validation that we can reach beyond expectations and accomplish incredible goals."
Principal Noel Maloof Vanderlyn Elementary DeKalb County Schools
Sponsored by

National Blue Ribbon Schools
The U.S. Department of Education honors elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or demonstrate gains in student achievement. Schools nominated by the Georgia Department of Education attend a ceremony in Washington D.C.
"Being recognized for academic excellence on a national level is an incredible honor. Our students, teachers, staff, parents and community supporters work very hard and seeing them get this acknowledgment is so rewarding. I couldn't be more proud of this Blue Ribbon School."
George B. Freiberger, Ed.S. Crabapple Crossing Elementary Fulton County Schools 2012 National Blue Ribbon School
The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards program provides public recognition and financial rewards to elementary and secondary school teachers, principals and other education professionals who are furthering excellence in education. By honoring outstanding educators, the program strives to attract, develop, motivate, and retain talented people to the challenge and adventure of teaching.

National Green Ribbon Schools
The Georgia Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition award honors schools that are exemplary in reducing environmental impact and costs; improving the health and wellness of students and staff; and providing effective environmental and sustainability education, which incorporates STEM, civic skills and green career pathways. The recognition award is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education (ED) effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about practices that are proven to result in improved student engagement, higher academic achievement and graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide goal of increasing energy independence and economic security. Winning schools nominated by the Georgia Department of Education attend a ceremony in Washington D.C.
Sponsored by

Superintendent's Recognition
Dr. John D. Barge honors excellence in education in a ceremony several times a year. After the ceremony, Dr. Barge meets with honorees and their guest at a reception.
"I had the honor of being recognized by my state school superintendent at the Georgia Department of Education for receiving the 2011-2012 National Distinguished Middle School Principal of the Year. To be honored by Dr. John Barge at the reception for Excellence in Achievement was a memory that I will not soon forget."
Dr. Bob Heaberlin, Principal Lee Middle School
Coweta County Schools

Fountain Award
The Fountain Award is named after Mr. Monty Fountain. Mr. Fountain, a teacher and coach at Alexander High School in Douglas County, was State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge's Civics teacher and coach. Mr. Fountain taught Superintendent Barge that the road to success is paved with persistence, hard work and a strong work ethic. This award is presented quarterly to educators.

Mr. Monty Fountain

Sponsored by

Phillips Award
The Phillips Award is named after Mrs. Condyce Phillips, the cafeteria manager at Griffin Middle School in Cobb County when Superintendent Barge was a student in that school. Mrs. Phillips helped Superintendent Barge and countless others write a better story for themselves. This award was created to recognize school staff members who have had a tremendous impact on the education and lives of others. This award is presented quarterly to school staff members.

Mrs. Condyce Phillips and Dr. John Barge

2011-2012 Sponsors State dollars are not used to fund recognitions events. Honoring educators, schools, staff, and students is made possible through generous donations.

Teacher of the Year Title Sponsor
Schools of Excellence Title Sponsor
Cash Donors
Captain Planet Foundation Georgia Power
Georgia Association of Educators Professional Association of Georgia Educators The Coca-Cola Company Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education AlphaSkills, Inc. Georgia Teacher of the Year Association Chick-fil-A

In-Kind
Blue Bell Creameries, L.P. The School Box, Inc. Keith Plaques Peachtree Supplies

Sponsor Levels
Title Sponsorship $25,000+
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Platinum $24,999-$10,000
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Gold $9,999-$5,000
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Silver $4,999-$2,500
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Bronze $2,499-$1,000
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Copper $999-$500

Georgia Foundation for Public Education
Donations can be made to the Georgia Foundation for Public Education.
The Georgia Foundation for Public Education is a public corporation that works on behalf of the Georgia Department of Education for charitable purposes to promote excellence in Georgia education.
Please make donations payable to the Georgia Foundation for Public Education.
Gifts are tax deductible to the extent provided by the law.

For more information about the recognition programs at the Georgia Department of Education, please contact:
Keisha Ford-Jenrette, Program Manager
Georgia Department of Education 2062 Twin Towers East, Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: 404.657.2949 E-mail: kford@gadoe.org
Pictures courtesy of: Georgia Power Georgia State Senate Michael Morlder Milken Family Foundation Saldivia-Jones Photography U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools
Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990); or disability (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.
Inquiries concerning the application of these practices of the department may be addressed to the General Counsel of the Georgia Department of Education, 2052 Twin Towers East, Atlanta 30334, (404) 656-2800