HAMPTON CITY SCHOOLS EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY, WHATEVER IT TAKES!

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Meryl Innerfield

Patrick McRae

Michelle Brown Perry

Hampton City Schools names 2021-2022 Teachers of the Year

Hampton City Schools held two in-person Teacher of the Year celebrations on Friday, April 23, 2021, to honor the 2021-2022 Teachers of the Year. The HCS Middle School Teacher of the Year and the HCS High School Teacher of the Year were announced at the 11:00 a.m. celebration and the HCS Elementary School Teacher of the Year was announced at the 2:00 p.m. celebration.

Congratulations to Meryl Innerfield, a second grade teacher at Bryan Elementary School, for being named the 2021-2022 HCS Elementary School Teacher of the Year.

“In Hampton we say ‘Every Child, Every Day, Whatever it Takes,’ and this past year has been a little more ‘Whatever it Takes’ then usual,” said Innerfield. “In a year full of Zoom windows and virtual classrooms, there have been a lot of changes. One thing that never changed is my commitment to my students and a belief that every child can learn and grow. Watching the growth in my students inspires me. It is because of them that I push myself to learn more, train more, and become a better educator. Being named the Elementary School Teacher of the Year 21-22 is an honor. It is something I could not have done without the support of my administration and team, and the unending patience of my family. Thank you for all of your encouragement as I travel on this journey.”

Lynette Nelms, principal at Bryan Elementary School said, “Ms. Innerfield prides herself on continuing to grow as an educator and leader. She is motivated and advocates for what she believes is in the best interest of all stakeholders. She strongly believes in consistent communication with families and works to ensure that all are engaged in students' learning. She understands the need for social emotional learning and communicates this clearly in her classroom, even providing staff training on strategies to support students' mental health and social emotional needs. She volunteers for leadership opportunities and enjoys helping support new teachers. She finds joy in children and makes learning fun. She goes above and beyond the curriculum to ensure students progress academically, socially, and emotionally.” 

Congratulations to Patrick McRae, a sixth grade math teacher at Tarrant Middle School, for being named the 2021-2022 HCS Middle School Teacher of the Year.

McRae said, “I am extremely humbled to have been named the HCS Middle School Teacher of the Year. To me, building meaningful relationships with students is the most important part of teaching, even more so during a global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. This year I have worked extremely hard on developing techniques to build relationships with my students in a virtual setting, surprisingly resulting in some of the strongest connections I have made with students throughout my career as an educator. For that I am proud.”

“Mr. McRae builds amazing relationships with his students and colleagues. He truly epitomizes the essence of our HCS mission in action,” said Tarrant principal Dwayne Lucas. “In our building, he is a teacher leader who is respected by students and teachers. Recognizing the value of strong relationships with his students and colleagues, he invests his time to build and foster lasting connections. In addition to his willingness to try new innovative approaches to learning, Mr. McRae uses humor as a tool to engage his learners.” 

Congratulations to Michelle Brown Perry, a photography teacher at Phoebus High School, for being named the 2021-2022 HCS High School Teacher of the Year.

“As an academy/CTE teacher, I believe in providing my students with authentic learning where students are able to see a direct real-world link to college or a career in their future,” shared Perry. “If I have done that, then I have done my job, plus some!”

Phoebus principal James Harris said, “Mrs. Michelle Brown Perry truly epitomizes our motto at Phoebus High School – ‘Greatness: Everyday, Everyway’. She has a heart for working with all young people to ensure that they are college, career, and life ready. Mrs. Brown Perry spends countless hours planning and delivering engaging lessons, working with community partners to provide real-world experiences that bring the material learned in the classroom to life, and sponsoring extracurricular activities and events for not only our Phoebus students but young people in the city of Hampton. She is truly deserving of this honor.”

One of these three teachers will be named the Hampton City Schools Citywide Teacher of the Year at the School Board meeting on May 5. This teacher will then compete for statewide honors.

Hampton City Schools is proud of their 2021-2022 Teachers of the Year! These individuals demonstrate excellence through their professionalism and commitment to the students of Hampton City Schools. Their creative and innovative instruction, especially during this unprecedented year of a pandemic, positively affects our classrooms, schools, and communities. Hampton City Schools is fortunate to have such outstanding teachers guiding our students toward a future where they can become lifelong learners and achieve their dreams. For a full list of the individual schools 2021-2022 Teachers of the Year, see below:

School/Association

Teacher

Subject/Position

Aberdeen Elementary

Tina Johnson

Reading Specialist

Andrews PreK-8

Kauanza Wilkins-Royal

Eighth grade Language Arts

Armstrong Elementary School of the Arts

Nancy Eason

Second Grade

Asbury Elementary

Joy Cheryle Tanner

Third Grade

Barron Fundamental Elementary

Charnita R. Clements

School Counselor

Bassette Elementary

Steve Midlik

Health & Physical Education

Bethel High

Dr. Natashia Hill

Eleventh Grade English

Booker Elementary

Kristy Harmon

Special Education

Bridgeport Academy

David Stubbs

High School Math

Bryan Elementary

Meryl Innerfield

Second Grade

Burbank Elementary

Douglas Norton

Academic Support-Second & Fifth Grade Inclusion

Cary Elementary

Emily Sims

School Counselor

Cooper Magnet Elementary

Maya Richardson

School Counselor

DAAE Department of Academic Advancement and Enrichment

Rebecca Whitehead

Gifted Resource

Eaton Fundamental Middle

Matthew Alexander

Eighth Grade Social Studies, Civics & Economics

Forrest Elementary

Sara Meier

Third Grade

Hampton High

Sarah Genevich

French

Jones Magnet Middle

Lyndsay McCabe

Special Education

Kecoughtan High

Shaun Redd

Art

Kraft Elementary

Sara Forrest

First Grade

Langley Elementary

Robin Felkner

Second Grade

Lindsay Middle

Andre' Richardson

Seventh Grade English & Language Arts

Machen Elementary

Patrice C. Perrin

First Grade

Moton Early Childhood Center

Susan Carraway

Pre-Kindergarten

Phenix PreK-8

Sonya Gordon

Seventh Grade English & Language Arts

Phillips Elementary

Ashley Colon

Special Education

Phoebus High

Michelle Brown Perry

Photography

Smith Elementary

Ellen Bastian

Fourth Grade

Spratley Gifted Center

Deb Hicks

Middle School Science

Syms Middle

Matt Freakley

Seventh Grade Math

Tarrant Middle

Patrick McRae

Sixth Grade Math

Tucker-Capps Fundamental Elementary

Miranda Bagheri

Kindergarten

Tyler Elementary

Ross Whitlock

Fifth Grade