Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. has announced nominees for a district teaching award, and the list includes a beloved educator from Columbus East High School who died in late 2020.
Social studies teacher Tony Pottorff died in December of complications resulting from advanced breast cancer. At Monday’s school board meeting, he was named as East’s nominee for the second annual BCSC Teacher of the Year Award.
Eighteen nominees were named, including 17 teachers from different schools and one from the Pre-K level. The nominees were invited to join the meeting virtually and were announced by Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Teresa Heiny.
“It wasn’t the same as last year, where we had all of you here and all the families and the big celebration, but I want you to know that you’re appreciated just as much, if not more,” she said. “This has been a challenging year, so we appreciate all you’ve done.”
Superintendent Jim Roberts also commended the 2021 nominees for their work.
“Your efforts, this year in particular, have been just nothing short of awesome,” he said.
The school corporation highlighted these efforts with a video showing footage of each educator working with their students, including archived clips of Pottorff hugging one of his students and joking around with his class.
“Tony was with us for 18 years,” Heiny said.
In addition to the video tribute, Heiny said that she would also be bringing gifts to teachers’ classrooms.
The nominations are an initial step as the school corporation looks to select its 2021 BCSC Teacher of the Year. Heiny said that the process usually begins in January, and then nomination information is sent out through social media and schools. Anybody can nominate a teacher, she said, and then the building teams choose their respective nominees.
These 18 nominees now have the opportunity to apply for the district award or opt out. A school corporation committee will meet in May and choose the district award winner, who will then go on to apply for the state Teacher of the Year award.
Heiny said that the portfolio of Mindy Summers, the 2020 district winner, is almost ready to be submitted and is due by July. Summers teaches language arts at Central Middle School.
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Central — Karla Eudy, social studies
Clifty Creek — Angie Kirkham, fourth grade
CSA Fodrea — Lauren Pherson, fourth grade
CSA Lincoln — Delaney George, fifth grade
CSA New Tech — Mat Morrill, special education
East — Tony Pottorff, social studies
McDowell — Angie Boyer, math
Mt. Healthy — Jennifer Justis, fourth grade
North — Stacy Doub, chemistry
Northside — Lily Hamilton, science
Parkside — Dana Thompson, fourth grade
Pre-K — Jessica Anderson, Pre-K at Rockcreek
Richards — Taylor Sharp, second grade
Rockcreek — Brittany Boezeman, kindergarten
Schmitt — Ali Simpson, third grade
Smith — Susan Baute, third grade
Southside — Kristine Davis, kindergarten
Taylorsville — Caroline Bell, third grade
To see a video honoring the nominees, go to BCSC’s YouTube Channel.
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Last year was the first year that Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. awarded the BCSC Teacher of the Year Award.
Eighteen nominees were chosen as the winner from their individual school building. From there, they were invited to apply for the district award and submit portfolios, which included a professional resume, a piece on how they met their school’s "Plan on a Page," a piece on student engagement and three letters of support.
The district award’s criteria is based off of the state award and looked for "a current classroom teacher, special education teacher, instructional coach, counselor, dean or a media specialist with a valid educator license through the IDOE, planning to continue an active role in BCSC and had a minimum of 3 years’ experience in BCSC."
The district award winner has the opportunity to apply for the Indiana Teacher of the Year Award. The winner of the state award will represent Indiana in the National Teacher of the Year selection program.
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