The ideal candidate for the Forsyth County Schools (FCS) Teacher of the Year (TOTY) should be an exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled educator who:

• Plans to remain in an active teaching role
• Inspires and engages students of all backgrounds and abilities
• Earns the respect and admiration of students, parents/guardians, and colleagues
• Makes meaningful contributions to both their school and the broader community

Eligibility Criteria:

• Open to in-person and virtual teachers in grades Pre-K through 12, including media specialists
• Counselors and speech-language pathologists are not eligible
• Candidates must have at least three years of teaching experience
• The majority of their professional responsibilities must involve direct classroom instruction

The selected 2026 FCS TOTY will begin their term of service on March 13, 2026, and will be eligible to participate in the Georgia TOTY program.

Round One – School-Level Selection & Application (Deadline: October 13, 2025)

Deadline: School-level TOTY must submit their completed application HERE by 5:00 PM on Monday, October 13, 2025.

A panel of respected community members and educators from Forsyth County assesses all applications based on a standardized rubric to narrow the field to twenty semi-finalists. Semi-finalists will be notified via email on November 12, 2025. Semi-finalists are the top twenty (20) applicants based on highest application scores:

• 11 elementary school teachers
• 5 middle school teachers
• 4 high school teachers

Round Two – Classroom Observation Video Submission (Deadline: January 20, 2026)

Deadline: Semi-finalists must submit a classroom observation video (maximum 30 minutes) HERE by 5:00 PM on January 20, 2026. File name should be saved as last name first name school (ex. Smith Mary SFHS Classroom Observation Video)

Finalists will be announced on February 12, 2026, via surprise school visits from Superintendent Mitch Young and district leadership. Finalists are the top five (5) candidates based on highest application and observation video scores.

Round Three – Finalist Interviews and Presentations (Interviews: February 24, 2026)

The five (5) finalists will participate in a 45-minute panel interview and prepare a five-minute speech on a provided topic and interview with school leadership, district leadership, community members, and prior teachers of the year. The 2026 FCS TOTY is determined based on the highest cumulative score from the application, video, speech, and interview.

Results remain confidential until announced at the Celebration of Excellence held on March 13, 2026, from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM, at the Forsyth Conference Center. All school-level TOTY’s will be part of the program.

In addition to resume and biographical information, you will respond to the following four narrative questions. Keep the response to each question to only one page. Please use Arial 10-point font and save these four responses in one PDF document and upload into the online form. LINK TO APPLICATION.

Important! Do not include your name or your school’s name when responding to the questions.  Pictures, drawings, and/or additional pages are not permitted.

Question 1: Professional Biography What were the factors that influenced you to become a teacher? Describe what you consider to be your greatest contributions or accomplishments in education.

Question 2: Philosophy of Teaching Describe a content lesson or unit that defines you as a teacher. How did you engage students of all backgrounds and abilities in learning? Show how your deliberate instructional decisions create student learning and reveal your beliefs about teaching and learning.

Question 3: Community Involvement How are you involved in your school and local community and how do you involve your students in the local community? Show how these community connections dissolve classroom walls and are used to impact student learning and success.

Question 4: Professional Learning What type of professional learning do you participate in? Describe a time when you grew as a teacher leader and life-long learner because of professional learning. Describe how it helped you to grow and how it impacted students.