Teacher of the Year

Being named Teacher of the Year is such an exciting honor! It feels amazing to know that my hard work and passion stood out to my colleagues my first year at the middle school level.

Professionally, this moment feels incredibly significant. It marks my 10th year in FCS and first year my students call me Dr. Cantwell. It truly feels like everything has come together this year!

In my ESOL classroom, “The Forsyth Way” means valuing student voice and modeling integrity in my actions. My students come from many backgrounds, so creating a space built on respect and fairness helps them feel seen and supported. Living by the values of ‘The Forsyth Way’ every day, I invest in my students to where they feel empowered to be change makers in the world! 

In my classroom, teaching and learning are all about connection to leadership qualities. We use real-world scenarios to strengthen reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in an authentic manner.

I rely on the FCS Learner Profile to exhibit strong personal qualities and maintain positive relationships. I want students to walk out of my room able to use academic vocabulary with confidence and purpose.

I love living by the phrase “Safe. Connected. Thriving.”  for teachers and students backwards because, to me, students can’t truly thrive unless they feel connected — and they can’t connect unless they feel safe. Safety builds trust, connection builds belonging, and together those create a space where learning really happens.

I make this a priority by conferencing with my students regularly to understand who they are as learners and as people. Whether it’s checking in about academics or just how their day is going, I want every student to know they’re seen, supported, and valued.

I want families and our community to know that my classroom is a place where students are learning to think deeply, take risks, and grow as confident leaders. We celebrate progress, not just perfection. Teaching isn’t just about lessons; it’s about lighting the spark that helps others believe in their own potential. I value the opportunity to spread joy through teaching and be an inspiration to future educators! 

It is an honor to be named DeSana's 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year! Being recognized by my colleagues for my contributions and hard work is very meaningful to me.

To me, 'The Forsyth Way' means that everyone has an important role to play to support Forsyth County Schools' students and staff.

Daily, I involve my students in meaningful and engaging learning activities that help to increase student achievement and growth.  I work to foster a learning environment where all students feel respected and safe.

I support the broader DeSana community as the Model United Nations Club sponsor, a place for students across all grades to connect within the school community.  This club offers students an opportunity to apply what they learn in their Social Studies classes while developing lifelong skills like leadership, collaboration, and public speaking. 

Students are engaging with various resources, including primary and secondary texts and historical images. Students collaborate, asking questions and sharing their observations and conclusions as they analyze these resources. Students participate in academic discourse ranging from informal discussions to structured academic conversations (debates). Students write FRQs to demonstrate their understanding of the standards.

As a teacher, my role varies from day to day. On some days, I am the guide; on other days, I am the facilitator. Every day, I support, encourage and challenge my students.

I believe that 'Safe. Connected. Thriving.' is the basis for all meaningful learning. One of my goals is for students to feel safe taking academic risks, knowing that valuable learning comes from struggle, and that I will support them throughout the learning process.

By taking a genuine interest in my students' lives, I strive to make students feel seen, valued, and connected to DeSana. When students feel safe and connected, they are able to thrive.

I want families and my school community to know how much I enjoy working at DeSana Middle School every day. I value the meaningful interactions I have with my students as we build strong relationships, laugh together, and engage in the learning process. I am incredibly proud and appreciative to be a teacher.

I most value having the opportunity to make a positive difference in my community and students' lives while sharing my passion for Social Studies. My ultimate goal as a Social Studies teacher is to prepare students for civic participation.

Being named Teacher of the Year means so much to me because it represents the heart and purpose behind why I teach. Personally, it’s an incredibly touching reminder that the time, energy, and love I pour into my students truly matters. Watching them grow academically, socially, and emotionally is already the greatest reward, so to be recognized for doing something I genuinely love feels both humbling and uplifting.

Professionally, this honor motivates me to keep learning, growing, and giving my best to my students and colleagues. It’s a reflection not just of my work, but of the teamwork, encouragement, and shared passion that exists within Liberty Middle School. It reminds me that teaching isn’t just about lessons and tests. It’s about building relationships, inspiring others, and helping every child believe in their own potential.

To me, The Forsyth Way means creating a learning environment built on excellence, relationships, and care, where every student and staff member feels valued, supported, and inspired to grow. It’s about doing what’s best for kids every day, not just through academics, but through empathy, respect, and connection.

In my classroom, I bring The Forsyth Way to life by making learning meaningful and engaging so students become curious about what they’re learning and motivated to excel. I design lessons that challenge students to think critically, collaborate, and take ownership of their learning, because engagement and achievement go hand in hand.

I also make it a priority to promote wellness and balance, reminding students that their social and emotional health matter just as much as their grades. Through open communication, mindfulness breaks, and a culture of respect, I strive to make my classroom a safe place where students feel they belong.

Beyond the classroom, I believe in collaborating with my colleagues both at Liberty and in the county  to share strategies and support and learn from one another. Together, we build each other up and strengthen our school community.

My classroom is lively, interactive, and student-centered. There is a high level of student interaction.  Students are constantly discussing, questioning, and sharing ideas about what they’re learning. I use a lot of realia and hands-on materials to make lessons meaningful and connected to the real world, which helps students see how what they’re learning applies beyond the classroom.

Students are challenged but supported every step of the way. I work hard to create an environment where they feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and grow. There’s always plenty of laughter and joy, because I believe learning should be engaging and fun. My hope each day is that students leave my class knowing that I care deeply about them and will do everything I can to help them succeed, both in school and in life.

To me, Safe, Connected, Thriving means creating a classroom where students feel they truly belong, are supported, and possess the confidence needed to step outside their comfort zone and take academic risks. I believe students thrive when they know it’s okay to make mistakes, ask questions, and tackle challenges without fear of judgment.

Every day, I work to foster safety and connection by building strong relationships, promoting respect, and encouraging collaboration. I create an environment where students feel valued, their voices are heard, and they are supported every step of the way. When students feel safe and connected, they are empowered to engage fully, take learning risks, and grow academically and personally, ultimately helping them thrive both in the classroom and beyond.

I want families and our school community to know that in my classroom, students are in a positive, safe, and supportive environment where they are encouraged to take risks, grow, and succeed. Families can trust that their children are valued, heard, and supported academically, socially, and emotionally every day. Students are challenged while also receiving the guidance and encouragement they need. Learning is cultivated and celebrated within the walls of my class.

What I value most about my opportunity to lead as a teacher is the chance to continue the important work we’ve started to help our English learners thrive. I take great pride in supporting these students as they grow academically and personally. Equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond brings me great joy. It is truly such an honor to be able to watch them achieve their goals and celebrate their successes.

Lucky, we have some really impactful teachers at East and they are all deserving of this award. I also need to thank my family; they are as responsible for this award as I am. 

It can look chaotic.

We really try to get into the content and my students seem to enjoy a place where we can explore, while having a laugh. I don't really enjoy silent learning, I believe we can all learn from each other, whether it is how to do something better or not how to do something. Our favorite thing to do in class is play "devil's advocate,' which gives everyone the opportunity to see things through a different lens.

I want everyone to succeed and success looks different for everyone in the classroom.

Teaching government is a great experience for me and the kids, as they are about to step into the world outside of high school and all levels of the government are going to impact them everyday. My goal is to give them another tool for their toolbox outside of East Forsyth High School. 

To me, being named Teacher of the Year at Piney Grove is a rewarding recognition for the work done within my classroom to support all learners. I enjoy the my role as a teacher, coach, and mentor and I am excited that others experience that as well.

To me, the Forsyth Way is being committed to excellence in everything that I do. Every day, I try to model this commitment for my students. In my classroom, I support students as they work to be excellent in academics, athletics, and arts.

In my classroom, teaching and learning is all about building relationships with my students. Once that happens, everything else comes naturally.

'Safe. Connected. Thriving' is the essence of a strong and healthy community. When students enter into Piney Grove, it is my goal that each one feels the impacts of being in a strong and healthy community. Everyday, I encourage students to be active contributors in our community whether through academics, sports, and/or the arts.

It's very humbling to be named Vickery Creek Middle School's Teacher of the Year. 

Personally, it's an affirmation that the effort I give my students is recognized and valued by my peers and colleagues. Knowing that the folks I work with value the work I put in for our students is very special. 

Professionally, this award encourages me to continue grow as an educator. I'm fortunate to work for a school system that allows me to collaborate with other professionals. Forsyth County gives me the opportunity to learn from people around me. Getting better as a professional is actively encouraged.

The Forsyth Way" means putting my students first by fostering an educational community that focuses on perseverance and collaboration. I am the lead in the band room, but my students learn, adapt, and improve together with help and feedback from one another. Students are held to a high standard, both musically and personally. While we celebrate our group success, my students know that they are valued as individuals. 

Students are given the comfort and confidence to push themselves beyond what they think they are capable of. I meet kids where their abilities are, encourage them to grow, and give them the opportunities to push themselves even farther. Failure is not a stop sign in the VCMS Band Room. It is part of the road map to success. 

Students know that they are cared for in the VCMS Band Room. They are physically, emotionally, and musically safe in our classroom. It's ok to take risks and to grow beyond their current abilities. Collaboration, cooperation, and listening are all skills present in the VCMS Band Room.

Families need to know that while my job is to provide instrumental music education to their students, their students are also loved and cared for beyond their musical ability. It's an absolute privilege to have their student join my band program, see the student start as an total beginner and grow into the best musician and person they can be. We focus on musicianship and musical growth, but we strive to apply those lessons beyond the band room. 

As an alumni of the Lambert High School, I am beyond thrilled and honored. I never dreamed of earning this achievement, and it is humbling to receive it when I work with such excellent colleagues. I am grateful to be recognized for my impact both in the classroom and on the school at large through leadership roles I hold. Being Teacher of the Year is such a pinch-me moment, and I hope to inspire my love for and joy in teaching in other educators and students. 

The Forsyth Way encompasses all we seek to do and be in our classrooms, both for educators and students. The Forsyth Way means striving for excellence in all we do, supporting all students to be the best they can possibly be, and continually improving to provide a superior learning experience to all. 

In my classroom, I lead by example and encourage my students to engage in continual feedback and improvement in the hopes that they will maximize their experience in Forsyth County Schools. Simultaneously, I meet students where they are and create strong relationships rooted in trust, honesty, and humor.

The learning process can be vulnerable and intimidating. In response, I build my teaching style around strong relationships rooted in mutual respect and trust. My classroom culture is relentlessly positive, where we approach all mistakes as learning opportunities, and all students feel safe. I believe learning should be both social and collective. I encourage students to take ownership of our content and to develop clear communication skills through class participation. Students develop strong friendships in my classroom and become highly connected to each other.

 
In my role as a teacher, three philosophies guide everything I do. My first is to find something to laugh about every day. School should be fun, and even the most difficult math can be joyful if it is approached with creativity and intentionality. There is nothing I love more than laughing with my students, and we create the best relationships over the fun we have while learning. My second is “to be loved is to be known.” Building strong relationships with my students is always my top priority, as it is the keystone of quality education. Last and most importantly, I live by the idea that we should build a longer table, not a taller fence. No matter who a student is, what their learning experience has been, or how they may feel about school, it is my passion and duty to meet them where they are and invite them to grow with me.

 
My greatest goal for all my students is to leave my class empowered to make observations, connect their observations to background knowledge, analyze novel situations, and make informed decisions. With these skills, they leave my class equipped to be successful in any career choice. Beyond academic skills, I seek to embody Lambert’s mission and to inspire it within my students: we lead well, live well, and love well. By raising future leaders with both academic and personal skills, I ensure they are thriving.

As a county, we all seek to create the best learning environment possible for all our students, beginning with our vision to provide a safe, connected, and thriving experience. In my classroom, I intentionally build an environment where students feel safe to take academic risks and to push themselves out of their comfort zones. I leverage the power of "mistakes" to enhance the learning experience. Two of my favorite instructional practices developed from my beliefs in reframing “mistakes” as opportunities for growth. I proudly tell my students I love mistakes. Throughout lessons and assessments, my students participate in “find my error” questions, where I intentionally plant errors for students to correct. Students must clearly identify an error, explain the misunderstanding, and correct it. This process helps students anticipate possible mistakes, address misconceptions head-on, and embrace the reality that we will all be wrong sometimes. In a similar vein, last school year, I started the practice of tallying my own mistakes on the whiteboard. My deal with my students is, if I make a mathematical mistake that I don’t catch before they catch it, they politely correct me, and we tally it on the board. I graciously accept their feedback, and I always thank them for helping me improve. Each week, I erase the board and start over. A student was chatting with me the other day and asked how I was “already to four mistakes by Wednesday?” I asked her if she had made four mistakes that week, and she said, “Oh. Good point.” Modeling imperfection and growth mindsets for my students is one of the most valuable experiences I can bring to a math classroom. A student told me last year they loved it because I was the only adult they knew who owned up to their mistakes, a heartbreaking confession which inspires me to keep modeling humility. 

In terms of connectivity, one of the most powerful things I choose to do is I greet my students at the door, every class period, every day. For some students, I may be the first adult to smile and greet them by name each day. I extend this practice throughout the building, out at Publix, at football games. Ensuring my students are seen, heard, and loved at the individual level is vital to my beliefs. Additionally, I send about five positive emails home every week to different students, creating positive contacts with every family by the end of the school year. My students know I will never be a stranger to them because “to be loved is to be known.” 

In my classroom, to thrive is to maximize your learning while having fun. I aim to flip the traditional classroom narrative of the teacher as the source of knowledge. My students are empowered to develop knowledge and contribute throughout class, a process I cultivate by teaching through extensive questioning. Whenever possible, from naming angles to showing how to solve equations, I encourage students to explain to each other, I give them credit for their contributions, and I celebrate all their wins. My goal after every class period is every single student shared something aloud, answered a question, or gave an example to the whole class. I facilitate this by cold calling on students regularly, carefully creating a dynamic where mistakes are embraced and praised as often as successes. After each class period, I ask myself, did they talk as much as I talked? If the answer is yes, I know I am living out this value. 

As trivial as it sounds, fun is such a valuable and underrated tool in the high school classroom, so to motivate my students and myself, I find ways to incorporate fun into our daily lessons. I teach with a karaoke mic, play MarioKart soundtracks while they practice skills, and celebrate Pi Day with games, decorations, and pie (of course!). I am always looking for ways to have fun while we learn because there is no reason for math to be boring unless we choose to make it boring. 

Cumulatively, the choices I make in my classroom make learning math a safe place, collaborative, and challenging while creating fun, lifelong memories. 

Inside my classroom, I balance both challenging mathematics and collaborative fun to create a positive learning environment supportive of all students. My greatest honor as a teacher is leading and inspiring students to be the best people they can be, both academically and interpersonally. No matter what a student's story is, I am so privileged to work with amazing students that inspire me to have such great hope for our future. 

Supporting students is at the core of everything I do, and I am very blessed to have incredible opportunities to stretch my heart for students beyond my classroom in numerous ways. My leadership roles are true passions of mine, and they inspire me to love the field of education even more than I could imagine. My favorite roles beyond the classroom are NEO Induction Leader, Hook ‘Em Hour Support Staff, and Geometry Content Team Lead, positions where I give my all to ensure my colleagues and students are having the best possible experience at Lambert every single day. In every role, I lead by putting relationship-building first, where I strive to be everyone’s greatest cheerleader. I communicate clearly to empower my students and colleagues to thrive. I lead with intentionality, collecting and valuing data to inform decisions. I embrace innovation by asking for feedback and continually improving. I develop leaders by supporting new Longhorns and colleagues on my team and by inspiring our next generation to be the best people they can be.