Margaret McLellan, 2nd grade teacher at Stewart Heights Elementary School, was named the district’s 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year at the annual ceremony held on Monday, October 18, 2021. Miss McLellan and seven colleagues received recognition for their dedication to the students in Dillon School District Four.
Teachers, administrators, and board members gathered in the foyer of the auditorium located at 1738 Highway 301 North at 6:00 P.M. During the social time, a slide show was enjoyed. It included photographs of the Teacher of the Year designees working in their classrooms. At 6:30 P.M., administrators and teachers joined board members in the district training room. Board chairman, Earl Gleason, Jr., opened the recognition ceremony by welcoming all in attendance and thanking the teachers present. He introduced school administrators. Each came to the podium and recognized their school representative by sharing personal attributes and professional accomplishments. Each 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year school representative received a keepsake gift and certificate to The Peddler Steakhouse.
After each school administrator recognized his/her teacher, Mr. Gleason announced the recipient of the 2021-2022 District Teacher of the Year award. Miss McLellan received an engraved watch denoting this special honor and a monetary gift. During her introduction, Sandy Stephens, literacy coach at Stewart Heights Elementary School, shared accolades related to Miss McLellan’s teaching abilities and her dedication to her students. In Miss McLellan’s application, she described her Philosophy of Teaching: “My philosophy of teaching is that at some point each student will understand what you are teaching. It may not be in one day, one week, one month, but if you stay consistent, eventually they will get it. Never give up on a student. When they get a concept, celebrate that moment. My second belief is that building relationships is the first component of having students care about learning.
When students see they can make mistakes and not be scorned, they will want to take control of their independent learning and take risks. They know I will catch them when they fall. They will also respect me more and know that this is an educator that cares that they learn, while also caring for their well-being.”
As the district’s representative, Miss McLellan will be invited to attend professional development trainings especially designed for district honorees and she will have the opportunity to participate in the 2023 State Teacher of the Year competition. Her application will be submitted to the South Carolina Department of Education in January. During the 2021-2022 school year, Miss McLellan will be invited to attend two one-day Professional Development Meetings, March 1, 2022 and June 14, 2022. In the fall, Miss McLellan will be invited to attend the State Teacher Forum Conference in Myrtle Beach, November 10-12, 2021. In the spring, Miss McLellan will be invited to attend the statewide Teacher of the Year celebration in Columbia, May 3-4, 2022. During this event, State Superintendent of Education, Molly Spearman, will announce the 2023 State Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Ray Rogers, district superintendent, closed the presentation ceremony by thanking the teachers for their dedication to the students in Dillon School District Four. He acknowledged that the work they do on a daily basis, is what makes the difference in the lives of the students. It was also announced that, Mr. David Stanley and Mr. Mendel Grayson, Horace Mann representatives, will visit each school and present Teacher of the Year designees with a monetary award in recognition of their hard work. As recipients departed, they received ginger ales, compliments of Schafer Distributing, Blenheim Bottling Company.
School representatives recognized included: Celeste Gough, East Elementary; Sarah Raia, South Elementary; Margaret McLellan, Stewart Heights Elementary; Melissa Buffkin, Lake View Elementary; Toni Norton, Gordon Elementary; Brenda Allison, Dillon Middle School; James McMillian, Dillon High School; and Amanda Burdin, Lake View High School.
