Poplar Road Kindergarten teacher Terri Buckland was announced as Coweta County’s 2006 Teacher of the Year Monday, at the county’s annual Teacher of the Year ceremony at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts.

Buckland, a 17-year veteran teacher who has taught in Coweta schools since 2002, was chosen from among three finalists, and will represent the county as a nominee for state Teacher of the Year this fall.

Nancy LeVeau, a Kindergarten teacher at Canongate Elementary School, and Noel Smith, a 3rd Grade teacher at Willis Road Elementary, spoke at the annual TOTY ceremony Monday night along with Buckland.

All three teachers extolled the importance of early childhood education. Buckland said that efforts to shape young minds and characters – in the home, in classrooms, and in special local programs such as Puddle Jumpers and Stepping Stones – are crucial in helping students achieve success in later grades and curbing drop-out rates.

Buckland was introduced by Poplar Road Principal Rebecca Gibson.

Monday’s program was sponsored by the Coweta County Board of Education and the Newnan Pilot Club, who presented the TOTY finalists and winner with silver trays.

School Board chairman Mitch Powell and Vice-Chairman Smith Pass led the program, and introduced each of Coweta County’s 28 Teachers of the Year and their principals.

2006 Teachers of the Year for Coweta County’s public schools were elected by their fellow faculty members earlier this year. Finalists were chosen by last year’s TOTYs, and the 2006 Teacher of the Year was chosen from among the three finalists by an independent three-judge panel.

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