COURTLAND
This spring, as in years past, teachers in the Southampton County Public School division are selected by their peers as the best representative of their individual schools. The following have been honored by their respective faculty, administration and students.

The following are quotes from both the honorees and their principals, where available.

Southampton County Public Schools
Teachers of the Year 2017-2018

• Al Hogwood teaches special education for K-2 at Capron Elementary School

“It has been my passion to impact students in a way that transcends the classroom.”

Dr. Allison Francis, principal, said of him: “He’s very hard working. He’s working now on his doctorate. One of the things he does for us is during Career Week. He knows a lot of people, so every year he gets a huge amount of people that will speak to us — weather people from TV, the shipyard —that’s a big help. He’s also ready to help me when I have a problem with students [who are being difficult.] He is a volunteer to help troubled youth at Chesapeake Youth Service. He also has a boys mentoring club here at the school.”

• Sandra Clarke Lindsey teaches Pre-K and Preschool at Meherrin Elementary School

“My fervent hope and daily goal is to help each student feel as if he/she is truly valued by me,” said Lindsey.

Rickeita Jones, her principal, wrote, “Mrs. Sandra Lindsey is an all-star teacher. If you walk into her classroom, you will be amazed at her ability to handle the busyness of her pre-kindergarten and preschool students, as well as, address each of their personal needs. She is such a natural, and her passion for education is evident.

“Every day she gives her all to teaching her students the fundamentals of education from the alphabet and counting to creative activities that address their fine and gross motor skills. She also encourages her students to be good citizens and to exhibit good character. Mrs. Lindsey is truly deserving of this honor. We are so proud to have her as a teacher at MES!”

• Ashley Owen Brock teaches fourth grade at Nottoway Elementary School

“Students deserve to feel heard, appreciated, encouraged, important, and loved every single day,” said Brock.

Susan Melbye, principal, said of her, “Mrs. Brock is a very caring and loving teacher to her students. She comes up with creative lessons to engage and have students love math. Just recently she did a unit involving disco balls and black lights. The students got to win glow-in-the-dark wristbands.”

• Virginia Summer Dawkins teaches third grade reading at Riverdale Elementary School

“I love and educate each student, to set the example for our future generations to love and educate themselves,” said Dawkins.

Will Melbye, principal, said he thinks the other instructors chose her for the honor is because of “The way she genuinely cares for her kids. It shows. It’s evident in her interactions and learning opportunities she provids them. Her love for them just pours that into every thing she does.”

• Kristina Renee Parsons teaches seventh grade math at Southampton Middle School

“I believe that teaching my content needs to be creative, meaningful, enjoyable and relatable to real world experiences,” said Parsons.

Darian Bell, the principal, said this of her: “She’s a go-getter. Full of energy all the time. We our math department.  She’s definitely an asset to our math department, not only to the kids, but also to the other teachers to help them along to be better geachers. Mrs. Parson’s is always willing to share information and work together to help them out. Always a team player. She surely knows we appreciate her.”

• Xavier Fain is the band director at Southampton High School

“My goal is to inspire students to be creative independent musicians that will one day become music consumers, performers, and composers,” said Fain.