A first grade teacher at Smithville Elementary School was named ” DeKalb County Teacher of the Year” and received the “John Isabell Memorial Award” Tuesday night during the tenth annual Teacher of the Year banquet at the Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church.
The award and a check for $150 was presented to Whitney Brelje by Roy Nelson Pugh of Liberty State Bank, a sponsor of the banquet, along with Director of Schools Patrick Cripps and Lori Isabell, whose husband John for whom the award is named, passed away in 2014. John Isabell was a long time educator and former President of the DeKalb County Education Association
Brelje, who is in her fourth year as a teacher, was among five local educators who were recognized during the banquet for being chosen by peers as “Teacher of the Year” at their schools. The others were Jessica Hale at Northside Elementary School; Jeanna Caplinger at DeKalb West School; Jenny Elrod at DeKalb Middle School; and Todd Cantrell at DeKalb County High School. Caplinger was unable to attend.
Hale teaches second grade. She is in her 10th year.
Caplinger is in her 23rd year. She teaches Math and Science for the 5th grade.
Elrod is in her 10th year of teaching Reading/Language Arts
Cantrell teaches Career Technical Principals of Machining I and II and Manufacturing. This is his 8th year in the classroom.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program is designed to promote recognition, respect and appreciation for teachers; to stimulate interest in teaching as a career; and to encourage public involvement in education.
Administrators introduced the Teachers of the Year at their schools, remarked on how they deserved the honor, and presented them with a school bell award.
Local attorney Sarah Cripps served as guest speaker for the banquet.
School board members attending were Doug Stephens, Danny Parkerson, and Jerry Wayne Johnson.
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