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Swearengin, Myers are Mooresville's top teachers

Carly Myers (left) and Jessica Swearengin

By Melinda Skutnick | Mooresville Tribune

Published: June 3, 2009

The Mooresville Graded School District has selected its 2009-10 Teacher of the Year and the first Beginning Teacher of the Year.

At a banquet held to honor Carolyn Cook, the 2008-09 MGSD Teacher of the Year, district officials announced Jessica Swearengin, a social studies teacher at Mooresville High, as this year's district Teacher of the Year among seven school-level winners.

Carly Myers, a third grade teacher at East Mooresville Intermediate, was named Beginning Teacher of the Year for the district.

Swearengin, a Mooresville High graduate who returned to her alma mater as a classroom teacher and assistant volleyball coach, is currently completing her fourth year of teaching. Earlier this year, she was also honored with an Apple Distinguished Educator Award for her leadership in the district's Digital Conversion Initiative.

"I am so blessed to be selected as the Mooresville Graded School District Teacher of the Year," Swearengin said Tuesday. "There are so many great teachers in our district and I am honored to be considered one of them."

She added, "As a product of the Mooresville School System myself, it makes me proud to represent the schools and faculty that taught me so much as a student."

Swearengin will advance to the Regional Teacher of the Year competition this fall.

The MGSD Teacher of the Year selection was chosen from each of the school-level winners and was based upon the submission of a portfolio and a private interview by a panel of educators and local community leaders.

In order to qualify, a teacher must have an NC Standard Professional II license and serve in a classroom teaching position.

Swearengin and the other six school-level teachers of the year will serve on the Teacher Advisory Committee and in other leadership roles throughout the 2009-10 school years, noted Sherrill.

The school-level teacher of the year recipients are: Cathy Duckett, Park View; Michelle Demers, South; Tara Gander, East Mooresville; Brenda Martin, Mooresville; Felicia Davis, Mooresville Middle; Jessica Swearengin, Mooresville High and Grant Deaton, N.F. Woods.

Also serving on the Teacher Advisory Committee will be the school-level winners for Beginning Teacher of the Year, added Sherrill.

Each school chose a teacher that has an NC Standard Professional I license and is in the first three years of their career to be recognized for outstanding work as a new teacher. Those recipients are: Sandra Brown, Park View; Patti McCrea, South; Carly Myers, East Mooresville; Taraleigh Franco, Mooresville; Jenny Pendleton, Mooresville middle; April Davala, Mooresville High and Mike Moore, N.F. Woods.

Districtwide recipient Myers is in her third year of teaching. This is the first year that the MGSD has chosen a Beginning Teacher of the Year.

Sherrill said additional recognition for the 2009-10 Teacher of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year will be made at the district's back-to-school convocation on Aug. 20.