Friday, October 6, 2023–9:09 a.m.
-News Release-
Hayley Jones, a kindergarten teacher at Johnson Elementary School, has been named the Floyd County Schools Teacher of the Year for 2023-24.
Mrs. Hayley Jones began her teaching career with Floyd County Schools three years ago, and in those three years, she has played a huge part in the continued success at Johnson.
Along with her team and paraprofessional, Mrs. Shawna Williams, Hayley works diligently to transform her classroom into anything one could imagine; from a Junie B. Jones set to dino land. She goes above and beyond in creating engaging and dynamic lessons, while always seeking to include diverse interests, utilizing different techniques to do so.
“We love Hayley Jones,” said Mrs. April Cummings, principal at JES. “She is a shining star at JES, amongst the universe of fantastic teachers who are contributing to student learning across FCS every day. She provides individual education based on our students’ needs and how they learn best. We are so proud that Hayley is representing Johnson as TOTY.”
Hayley’s positive energy is contagious and her kids soak it in every day, making learning even more fun. The creativity she implements in her classroom is out of this world and her students get excited to go to her classroom. She is always smiling and willing to lend an extra hand to anyone who may need it. She also works collaboratively with her colleagues and administrators to build and maintain a fun and happy work environment and a school culture of success.
“Mrs. Jones strives every single day to develop core memories for her students,” said Mrs. Jesi Brooks, assistant principal at Johnson. “From room transformations to multiple learning experiences, we love going to her room and seeing all of the fun that is happening while learning.”
Continuing in her journey as a teacher leader, Mrs. Jones will be participating in the 2023-2024 Floyd County Schools Teacher Advisory Committee and serving as the spokesperson for that committee.
Mrs. Jones will be participating in the 2023-24 Teacher of the Year Program through the Georgia Department of Education.
Each school named its individual Teacher of the Year earlier this school year. Each TOTY was then interviewed by a panel of retired educators who then voted anonymously to select six semifinalists. The semi-finalists were observed and evaluated in their classrooms by another set of judges to finalize the list of finalists. The six finalists were Sarah Buice, Nena Campbell, Kayla Elliott, Hayley Jones, Mary Simmons, and Brian Swanagan.
All FCS teachers of the year and finalists were announced during the FCS Teacher of the Year last night.
Elementary School Teachers of the Year were Abby Bradley (Alto Park Elementary), Kendyl Clark, (Armuchee Primary), Kayla Elliott (Armuchee Elementary), Sarah Buice (Garden Lakes Elementary), Hayley Jones (Johnson Elementary), Mary Simmons (Model Elementary), Susan Litton (Pepperell Primary), and Nena Campbell (Pepperell Elementary).
Middle School Teachers of the Year were Kelly Bryant (Coosa Middle), Rachel Price (Model Middle), and Breanna Kinsey (Pepperell Middle).
High School Teachers of the Year were Charles Elliott (Armuchee High), Brian Swanagan (FCS College & Career Academy), Lacey Lionetti (Coosa High), Ian Crawley (Model High), and Zach Battles (Pepperell High).
Teachers of the Year in Floyd County Schools exemplify the characteristics of teaching excellence. Their dedication, knowledge, and passion for teaching enable our students to Focus, Connect, and Succeed. FCS commends the positive impact teachers have on students, staff, and Floyd County families each and every day.
