Photo courtesy of Christina Smith.
Lauren Lunceford, CBS Teacher of the Year, with her second-grade class.
Lauren Lunceford, second-grade teacher at Cherokee Bend Elementary School, was recently awarded the honor of Cherokee Bend’s 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year. Lunceford sees building community with her students as the foundation of her teaching, allowing her to really know each child and help them attain their individual goals.
“Miss Lauren Lunceford is an outstanding educator and serves the children she teaches with extreme passion and enthusiasm. Lauren not only touches lives in our school, but also the school that she serves in Uganda. Miss Lunceford builds strong relationships with her students, knows them deeply as learners, and is able to customize each of her student’s learning experience,” said Principal Betsy Bell.
Lunceford is in her sixth year of teaching at Cherokee Bend, where she continues to make a big impact on her students and fellow teaching community. She has spent the last four summers in Uganda teaching in a local school and tutoring students to help fill educational gaps. Lunceford incorporates her love of Uganda into the classroom to help students connect with others across the globe. A special highlight of her time at Cherokee Bend includes the Sozo Choir from Uganda visiting CBS with a vocal performance, bringing both of her teaching worlds together to help her students form bonds with children from different cultures.
Every academic year, each Mountain Brook school selects a Teacher of the Year. The selection process is voted on by the faculty and staff. Out of the six teachers selected across the school system, one elementary and one secondary candidate are selected to proceed to the next level of the Teacher of the Year process.
– Submitted by Christina Smith.
