2008 Tensas Parish School's Teachers of the Year

Tensas Parish Recognizes 2008 Teachers of the Year

            The Tensas Parish School Board’s Middle School/Junior High School and High School Teachers of the Year were honored Tuesday evening at the September 4^th  meeting of the Board.

            The Tensas Parish Middle School/Junior High School Teacher of the Year is Ms. Annie Marshall.  Ms. Marshall is a special education inclusion teacher at Newellton Elementary School.  She has 28 years of teaching experience and has served for 24 years in her present position.   Ms. Marshall was inspired by three factors to become a teacher—her experiences with her first grade teacher, her parents’ encouragement, and her sincere desire to help others.  As a child, she spent many hours “playing school” and helping her sisters and brothers with their homework.  She believes her greatest contribution as an educator has been her ability to relate to all students, especially those with learning disabilities or behavior problems.  She feels that all students can learn if the teacher uses the right learning tools and provides an appropriate learning environment.  She feels a great sense of pride when she is able to help one child experience success.  Her greatest reward is knowing that a child has mastered a skill or concept.

Tensas Parish High School Teacher of the Year is Ms. Cynthia Johnson.  Ms. Johnson currently teaches vocational business classes at Tensas High School.  She has 8 years of teaching experience and has served for 6 years in her current position.  Ms. Johnson’s decision to become a teacher was influenced by her mother’s caring attitude toward children and the elderly and her fifth grade teacher.  As a teacher, she has the opportunity to help students acquire the knowledge and skills they need to learn and be successful in life as well as to help them develop social skills needed to live in society today.  She feels one of the greatest rewards of teaching is helping her students discover their potential and then helping them work hard to achieve their goals and experience success.  She believes it is very important for teachers to continue throughout their careers to gain knowledge about educational issues, teaching strategies, and new technology.

After being recognized by Ms. Trudy Arnold, each teacher was presented a plaque by Ms. Carol S Johnson, Superintendent.  Mr. Jack Grace, Executive Vice President of Cross Keys Bank, also presented each teacher a monetary award provided by Cross Keys Bank and Tensas State Bank.