Jackson Magazine Presents Top Teachers Awards

Photos courtesy Jackson Magazine,  Northwest Schools and Vandercook Lake Schools 

(May 6, 2021 10:32 AM) Jackson Magazine presented its eleventh annual Top Teachers Awards at a presentation held at the Commonwealth Commerce Center this week.

In addition to recognition in the May issue of Jackson Magazine, the Top Teachers also received a total of $12,000, thanks to a partnership that began in 2014 with the Jackson Community Foundation (JCF) and the Hurst Foundation.

Through the Teacher’s Fund of JCF and the Hurst Foundation, four Top Teachers each received a $1,500 grant for classroom use and/or professional development. The Teacher of the Year received $7,500 to use any way they wish. 

To choose the Top Teachers, a committee of educators and businesspeople whittled the list to the Top 10. Those 10 teachers received two classroom visits from a second committee; a third group chose the final five. The Top Teachers of 2021 are:

•                Teacher of the Year: Jordan Crockett, Northwest High School

•                Tracy Dryer, Northwest High School

•                Anthony Smith, Northwest Kidder Middle School

•                Matthew Snell, Northwest High School

•                Heather Swaenepol, Vandercook Lake Townsend Elementary

Nominations for 2022 are now being accepted at JacksonMagazine.com. To be eligible, a teacher must teach K-12 in a Jackson County school and have at least five years of experience.