The leaves are turning, the hurricanes are churning and it is time to vote…. for Support Person and Teacher of the Year at Habersham Central. Congratulations to Nancy Higginbotham, HCHS Support Person of the Year, and Dr. Amber Kerr, HCHS Teacher of the Year for 2016-17, from the faculty and staff. Nancy Higginbotham has been an essential part of the HCHS counseling department for 30 years, and, after all the HCHS students she has helped with tasks from printing lost schedules to sending transcripts to countless colleges to offering encouragement to that brand new student or first year teacher, the department would be lost without her. When asked about being selected as SPOTY, Higginbotham relied, “My first reaction was total surprise. This type of appreciation by the people you work with is truly an honor. It gives you a very good feeling inside. It's a feeling that all of our teachers and support staff should share for the good work they do at HCHS every day.” Dr. Amber Kerr was selected as the Habersham Central Teacher of the Year by popular vote. She has taught at HCHS 11 years, and this is the second time she has been selected as Teacher of the Year. In addition to her success as a teacher here, Dr. Kerr is also a 2002 graduate of HCHS. Dr. Kerr teaches many forms of art and is an award-winning artist in her own right. In her short career, she has earned a Ph.D. in Art with an emphasis in Art Education from the University of Georgia and has implements the Jewelry Program in 2012 and the AP Art program in the fall of 2009 at HCHS. Since the development of both programs, HCHS has earned a high success rate from the students who have completed these classes. Dr. Kerr’s AP students have earned a 100% pass rate in 2D design for five consecutive years, a 100% pass rate in Drawing for four consecutive years, and a 100% pass rate in 3D design (emphasis in jewelry) in 2013, the only year a student took this course. In her “spare time” Dr. Kerr assists school administration in day-to-day procedures that facilitate the success of our students. She participates in the organization and administration of the AP exams each spring, as well as being central to the scheduling of the new Flex program that HCHS is offering to help students with remediation/enrichment. She also serves as Department Head of the Fine Arts Department and is a member of the School Improvement Team. When asked about being selected as TOTY, Dr. Kerr relied, “I was very surprised to get this honor. I was awarded teacher of the year in 2011 so to get it a second time really surprised me and caught me off guard. To be nominated by my peers twice for this honor really blows me away. I have the utmost respect for my fellow colleagues, and as a 2002 graduate of HCHS I can attest to the high caliber of instruction taking place at our school. We truly have some extremely talented and passionate teachers that I have the pleasure to work with daily. I humbly thank you all for this incredible nomination; you have touched my heart!” CAPTION: (L to R) HCHS SPOTY Nancy Higginbotham and TOTY Dr. Amber Kerr
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From the Editor: Maison ClouatreIt is our duty as young Americans to stay up to date and informed about current local, national, and world-wide news and politics. I hope that my column of this news feed and newspaper will help inform Habersham Central and make us all well-informed. Archives |