KANNAPOLIS – A businesswoman turned teacher has claimed the title of the Kannapolis City school system’s Teacher of the Year.
Sandy Summerlin, a second-grade teacher at Woodrow Wilson Elementary, received the honor during the annual awards breakfast this morning sponsored by SunTrust Bank.
“In my 30 years of experience as an educator, I have never been more impressed with a teacher as I have been with Sandy,” Principal David Fleischmann said. “Even though she has only taught for four years, she has surpassed every one of my expectations of a teacher, even those of the most experienced teachers.”
Fleischmann called Summerlin creative and dynamic.
“(She) uses every gift she has been granted to ensure that every child in her classroom is loved, taught, challenged and successful,” he said.
Summerlin began her career in education as a teacher assistant before going back to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to earn her bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
She decided it was time for a career switch when she realized how much time she was missing with her sons, Adam and Wes.
“My kids lived in day care because I was working 70 hour weeks,” she said.
Summerlin said becoming a teacher assistant gave her the flexibility to be with her family every day after school.
Read the complete story in Wednesday’s Post.