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Troup County School System (TCSS) Superintendent Dr. Rachel B. Hazel surprised three outstanding educators with flowers and a special pendant during the Teacher of the Year (TOTY) Surprise Patrol on Thursday, January 30th, and Friday, January 31st. The surprise announcements, held at each teacher’s school, were made even more special by the presence of their families, colleagues, and principals, all joining in the celebration as these teachers learned they are finalists in the local TOTY competition. 

The three 2025 system finalists are: 

Elementary Teacher of the Year 

• Kathey Sandiford: 5th grade writing teacher at Long Cane Elementary School. Ms. Sandiford is passionate about fostering a love of writing skills and creativity in her students.  

Middle School Teacher of the Year 

• Deneshia Norman: 7th grade English Language Arts (ELA) Callaway Middle  School. Ms. Norman’s key role is in helping students develop their reading comprehension, writing abilities, and critical thinking skills. 

High School Teacher of the Year 

• Aidan Blackwell: 11th and 12th grade IB History of the Americas and 11th and 12th AP History at LaGrange High School. Mr. Blackwell challenges his students to think critically about the past and its impact on the present. 

“We are incredibly proud of all our TOTY candidates, especially these three finalists. These teachers demonstrate a daily commitment to student success, proven leadership, and a true inspiration for the next generation. Recognizing our outstanding TCSS employees is one of the highlights of my job! I wish the finalists the best of luck in the next stage of the competition,” said Dr. Hazel. 

The finalists will now be evaluated by a panel of educational professionals from outside Troup County. The process will include classroom observations, interviews, and a review of their written applications. 

TCSS will announce one of the three finalists as the Troup County School System Teacher of the Year and honor all school-level Teacher of the Year winners at a special reception at Oakfuskee Conservation Center in March. 

Quinshada Simpson from Ethel Kight Elementary is the current TCSS Teacher of the Year. She is vying for the state-level honor, which will be announced in May at the 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year Conference and Gala at Lanier Islands in Buford, GA.