Photo Gallery | Lexington One announces District Teacher of the Year finalists
Lexington County School District One proudly announces the five finalists for Lexington One District Teacher of the Year: Mary B. Carpenter, Kimberly E. Freeman, Jennifer E. Jones, Jessica L. Keisler and A. Beth Klaes.
Mary Carpenter teaches seventh- and eighth-grade English language arts classes at Pleasant Hill Middle. An educator for 18 years, Carpenter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary communication education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and is National Board Certified in early adolescence English language arts.
A world language teacher, Kimberly Freeman teaches Latin to sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Lexington Middle and to students from across the district virtually. Freeman, with eight years of experience, began teaching in 2004 after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in education with a classical languages concentration from Furman University.Pleasant Hill Elementary’s Jennifer Jones has taught for 13 years. Currently a third-grade teacher, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Calhoun Honors College at Clemson University and a master’s degree in elementary education with a focus in reading from Clemson University. Jones is National Board Certified in middle childhood education.Jessica Keisler currently teaches mathematics at Pelion Middle but also taught English language arts during her seven years as an educator. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and psychology from Charleston Southern University and a master’s degree in education from the University of South Carolina. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in educational leadership at USC.An anatomy and physiology teacher at Lexington High, Beth Klaes has taught for 16 years. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from College of Charleston and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in biology from the University of South Carolina.In October, certified staff at each Lexington One school chose a 2012–2013 school-level Teacher of the Year.Those school-level Teachers of the Year completed written applications, which were judged by five teams of judges. The applications with the top 10 scores were then judged by a different team of six judges.In the coming weeks, another panel of seven judges will spend a day observing the finalists as they teach and interviewing them.The district will announce its new District Teacher of the Year on Thursday, April 18, 2013, at an evening celebration honoring all school-level Teachers of the Year at the Lexington One Performing Arts Center. The 2012–2013 Teachers of the Year also include Carolina Springs Elementary Fourth-Grade Teacher Beth Borten, Carolina Springs Middle Seventh-Grade English Language Arts Teacher Maria Canepa, Forts Pond Elementary Speech Language Pathologist Jennifer Golden, Gilbert Elementary Special Education Teacher Pam Lloyd Curtis, Gilbert High Special Education Teacher Bree Williams, Gilbert Middle Eighth-Grade Science Teacher Pamela Reeder, Gilbert Primary Music Teacher Amy Hislop, Lake Murray Elementary Fourth-Grade Teacher Lois Byars, Lexington Elementary Third-Grade Teacher Molly Scott, Lexington Technology Center Business Education Teacher Amy Kuntz, Meadow Glen Elementary First-Grade Teacher Lori Russell, Meadow Glen Middle Sixth-Grade English Language Arts Teacher Andrea Masten, Midway Elementary First-Grade Teacher Andrea McLane, New Providence Elementary First-Grade Teacher Paula McDaniel, Oak Grove Elementary Fifth-Grade Teacher Jeannene Main, Pelion Elementary Third-Grade Teacher Dana Boozer, Pelion High Mathematics Teacher Erin Green, Red Bank Elementary Multi-Age Teacher Jamie Sox, Rocky Creek Elementary Fifth-Grade Teacher Kim Denney, Saxe Gotha Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Ashley McCall, White Knoll Elementary Fifth-Grade Teacher Brittany Clonts, White Knoll High History Teacher Craig Wheatley and White Knoll Middle Health and Physical Education Teacher Jennifer Bundrick.
