From first-year to full career, Lancaster County schools pick out their best teachers
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The Lancaster County School District picked out its best for high honors, from a first-year teacher to instructors with decades of career service.
Mica Parker teaches first grade at Heath Springs Elementary School. Parker is the 2022 District Teacher of the Year. The award comes with $1,000 to spend in her classroom and a new Ford EcoSport from Burns Ford for one year.
Parker has been with the district 18 years. The first 11 years were in first grade at Indian Land Elementary School. Parker has been teaching first grade at Heath Springs since.
“She works very hard building relationships with the families of her students,” said Heath Springs principal Sheri Watson. “Mica is an excellent role model for others and very giving of her knowledge and experience. She is Heath Springs’ Teacher of the Year every day.”
First year teacher
A former Winthrop University student is the 2022 District Beginning Teacher of the Year. Ne’Torrian Patton teaches chorus at Buford High School. The first-year teacher received a $500 check to spend in the classroom with the award. Patton was recruited from Winthrop through the district arts program.
“Mr. Patton is great for the kids,” Buford High principal Michael Belk said. “He loves music and chorus as much as he loves the students and you can see it in the work they do for him. He has exceeded our expectations and continues to do so daily.”
The winners were selected from teacher of the year winners at each of the 24 district schools.
Hall of fame
The announcements followed induction of four school district retirees into the Lancaster County School District Hall of Fame. All four enshrinees have at least 30 years of educational work within the district.
Guidance counselor and teacher Juanita Walker spent 43 years there. Joseph Keenan spent 34 years as an administrator and teacher. Teacher and advisor Doris Hood, and administrator and teacher David Knight, each put in 31 years with the district.
Hall of fame members are nominated by the public and voted on by a panel of retirees selected for the hall in previous years. Typically, two educators are honored each year. The lack of in-person events in recent years led the larger number this year.
This story was originally published September 27, 2022 at 7:58 AM.
