Through a close competition, the number of names in the running for 2023 Fayette County Teacher of the Year have been narrowed down from 25 of the county’s best to just three finalists.
The finalists for the 2023 Teacher of the Year honor are Shelley Kozlowski of Whitewater High School, Calvin Maddox of Fayette LIFE Academy, and Michelle Shaw of Spring Hill Elementary.
Each finalist will be observed in their classrooms and interviewed by the judging panel, which consists of two retired educators and last year’s county winner, Christy Todd of Rising Starr Middle. The teacher with the highest combined judges’ score will be named the 2023 Fayette County Teacher of the Year.
The winner will be announced at the annual Fayette County Teacher of the Year celebration on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
Shelley Kozlowski, Whitewater High School
Shelley Kozlowski is a science teacher at Whitewater High School. This is her 11th year in the classroom and her 5th year at Whitewater. She has taught a plethora of science courses including Biology, Chemistry, Forensics, Anatomy & Physiology, Physical Science, and currently teaches Gifted Chemistry, STEM Chemistry, AP Chemistry and Scientific Research at Whitewater. She also serves as the science fair coordinator for the school and continually promotes participating in the scientific process to all students.
Shelley has always had a passion for science. Before becoming a teacher, she worked as a research specialist at Emory University and is a published author. Her projects there include behavioral research on dopamine receptor inhibition to aid in cocaine addiction and studying protein channels in the diabetic kidney to aid in the treatment of diabetes. After 6 years of pursuing this important work, Shelley realized she wanted to share her love of science with others, and she began her pursuit of becoming an educator.
She truly enjoys working alongside her students throughout the entire process. Watching students’ ideas go from the research phase, to experimentation, to public sharing of data and conclusions with others reminds her of why she began teaching in the first place.
“Two things I often ask myself every year are: ‘Do my students know that I care about them?’ and ‘Do my students feel safe in my classroom?’ Without these two things, teaching and learning is an arduous task,” said Kozlowski. “I have a vested interest in their lives. I truly want them to succeed, and I want them to know that I am cheering them on through their journey.”
Calvin Maddox, Fayette LIFE Academy
It is often said that “teaching is the greatest act of optimism,” and, in the case of Calvin Maddox, that optimism is evident in the strides that his students make each and every day. This optimism also shines through in Calvin’s ability to handle the challenges that he faces as a teacher of children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities.
Calvin Maddox started his teaching career as a paraprofessional in a Self-Contained Severe and Profound Intellectual Disability classroom in 1997. In August 2017, Maddox began working with Fayette County Public Schools teaching Elementary Adapted Curriculum in a self-contained setting, referred to as THRIVE, instructing students with multiple and severe disabilities.
The students currently in Maddox’s classroom live daily with disabilities that include vision impairments, seizure disorders, Dandy Walker Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Shaken Baby Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, nonverbal, nonambulatory, and were born prematurely. These students are not only Calvin’s specialty, but he has made it his life’s work to better the lives of all of his students.
“Everything I ever needed to know about life, I have learned through my students,” said Maddox. “For the entirety of my career, I have fought to be a voice for my students because the majority of my students are nonverbal, and the rest of them struggle with basic speech.”
As a special education teacher, he is charged with improving the quality of life for his students, and he is also their link to the vast world around them.
“This is often a daunting task, but it is one that I have learned to embrace, and it has taught me to fight daily to make sure my students have a voice in our schools, a task that we should all take to heart,” he said. “Ultimately, my students are not any different from all students, their learning challenges are just a little more obvious. They deserve a voice, the right to make decisions, and to be seen by you.”
Michelle Shaw, Spring Hill Elementary
Collaboration is key for Michelle Shaw. Shaw, a 17-year veteran teaching kindergarten at Spring Hill Elementary, believes that relationships are key to being a successful teacher.
“The chapters would be titled: Build the Relationships, Be Intentional, and Go the Extra Mile,” she said. “Building relationships with each one of your students creates an opportunity for you to gain a better understanding of them as an individual, not just as students you have to teach. The knowledge you gain from these relationships help you form connections between the curriculum and your students’ real-life experiences. Not to mention, it shows them that you value their presence in the classroom.”
Her teaching philosophy is grounded in building a strong foundation in the early years of her students’ educational journey to ensure success as they progress through elementary school and beyond. It’s about giving children the building blocks to thrive.
“Literacy is always at the core of my instruction, and my love for it is why I have always chosen to teach the foundational grades of kindergarten, first, and second grade.”
A fulfilling teaching career is within your grasp.
“You will not be able to choose your characters, create the picture-perfect setting, dictate every event, be able to immediately detect the problems some of your students may have, or what solution you may need in order to help them overcome the challenges. However, you must remember that building relationships, being intentional, and going the extra mile will help you write a story that you can be proud of.”
Posted 1/31/2023
