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Three teachers — among 14 total named teachers of the year — illuminate school district’s quality

They’re the best of the best.

Liberty Public Schools recently announced its 2010 teachers of the year for each of its 14 buildings plus the early childhood education center and Liberty Academy.

The honorees were chosen by building faculty and administrators. They are now nominees for the district’s Teacher of the Year award, which will be announced in May, according to a press release.

Here’s a sample of three honorees, chosen to represent the diversity of faculty at the elementary, middle and high school levels. In each case, these teachers are examples of the educational excellence that’s become a cornerstone of the entire community.

Peck’s peak

Michele Peck isn’t easily intimidated, which is a good thing.

Peck leads classes for academically gifted students at Lillian Schumacher Elementary School.

And while some teachers may shy away from children who may in fact have a higher IQ than they do, Peck is charged by that challenge.

“These kids are the ones who keep me on my toes and make me want to be a lifelong learner,” Peck said. “You come into the job knowing that.”

Peck started teaching in 1987, straight from college to Liberty Public Schools. Her classroom skills prompted district officials in 2001 to shift her over to the PEAK and Challenge programs, which serve gifted students.

For Peck, helping her students is a social imperative. She worries that gifted children are being left behind in the push to improve the nation’s education system.

“I think, as a country, we could put a little more focus on this population of students,” Peck said. “If we meet the needs of these gifted kids, they can do so much for society.”

Being picked as a teacher of the year was humbling, Peck said.

“I’m surrounded by great teachers,” she said. “They help me do what I do well.”

Marshalling excellence

Liberty Middle School teacher Carita Marshall won’t let her students off the hook.

Marshall helps students in the school’s special education program. But as far as Marshall’s concerned, the word “education” is enough to describe what she does.

“The curriculum I expose my kids to is rigorous,” Marshall said. “Every child can learn.”

Marshall’s teacher-of-the-year honor is even more impressive considering she just started teaching at the school in the fall of 2008.

But the truth is, Marshall came the district a known quantity. She’s been a teacher for 24 years and won similar awards for classroom excellence in Tennessee.

Still, Marshall was surprised to gain notice so quickly from her new colleagues.

“I was shocked,” she said. “Here at this school, we have such a prolific group of teachers.”

Marshall’s award made sense to Principal Mike Kimbrel. Her philosophy of building relationships with students to figure out what will help them learn has spread throughout the school, Kimbrel said.

“Without a doubt, she makes the entire faculty better,” Kimbrel said. “She works with some of our toughest kids, and she works longer than probably 90 percent of the staff.”

Fowler’s family

Probably the most important thing to know about Liberty High School’s family and consumer sciences teacher is that Jody Fowler actually has some hands-on experience in family and consumer sciences.

Fowler took a roundabout path before walking through the high school doors as a faculty member for the first time in 2000.

After graduating from college with a home economics degree in 1979, Fowler moved to Ketchikan, Alaska, where her older sister was raising a first child.

Fowler soon found herself keeping accounts and cooking meals on the salmon packing vessel Westward, which taxied the catch from fishing grounds to the coast.

“It’s one of the best things I ever did,” she said. “I grew up a lot.”

Fowler also took at turn as a retail store merchandise buyer and manager. Then came about 15 years of married life and refurbishing old homes and raising three boys.

It was during these years that Fowler became involved in schools.

“I was always doing things that involved my kids,” Fowler said.

All this experience meant Fowler was ready to help students learn the art and science of cooking, textiles and budgeting.

“When I was ready to come back to teaching, I was so much more prepared,” she said. “And after raising three boys, these kids have nothing on me.”

Teachers of the year

Here’s a complete list of the 2010 teachers of the year in Liberty Public Schools:

- Andrea Busch, Kindergarten, Alexander Doniphan Elementary School

- Jacob Rapp, Physical education and health, Franklin Elementary School

- Michele Kernell, Second grade, Lewis and Clark Elementary School

- Shirley Hollady, Fourth grade, Liberty Oaks Elementary School

- Michele Peck, Challenge and PEAK program, Lillian Schumacher Elementary School

- Jamie Ackart, Second grade, Manor Hill Elementary School

- Lisa Gray, Fourth grade, Ridgeview Elementary School

- Becky Carr, Special education, Shoal Creek Elementary School

- Jessica Jeffries, Fourth grade, Warren Hills Elementary School

- Carita Marshall, Seventh-grade special education, Liberty Middle School

- Melissa Norris, Seventh-grade communication arts, South Valley Middle School

- Susan Link, Ninth-grade math, Liberty Junior High School

- Jonalee Searcey, Eigth-grade communication arts, South Valley Junior High School

- Jody Fowler, Family and consumer sciences, Liberty High School

- Wendy Sohm, 10th- and 12th-grade fine arts, Liberty Academy

Staff writer Ray Weikal can be reached at 389-6637 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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