Support staff, Rising Stars, school partners also honored
By Andy Klotz—
MUNCIE, IN—Vanessa Goldey and Sarah Hoffman have been selected as Muncie Community Schools’ (MCS) primary and secondary Teachers of the Year, respectively, for the 2023-24 school year. MCS Director of Public Education and CEO Dr. Chuck Reynolds presented each with her award during a staff event today at Muncie Central High School.
Goldey is a first-grade teacher at Grissom Elementary School who stands out for her professionalism and constant desire to grow in her teaching.
“Mrs. Goldey is able to motivate and monitor her students that exceeds what is typical,” Grissom Principal Brittney Charles said. “She consistently shows good student growth even with significantly underperforming students, and is humble and professional in all that she does.”
Vanessa Goldey is pictured accepting her award from Dr. Reynolds. Photo provided
Hoffman is a math teacher at Muncie Central High School who holds herself and her students to a high standard. She has a growth mindset who is evaluated as a “highly effective” teacher year after year.
“Sarah is a valuable educator in our Early College program and always seeks out opportunities to improve her own teaching in order to provide an enriching learning experience in her classroom,” Central High Principal Chris Walker said. “Last year, she added AP Physics to her portfolio so the class would continue to be offered to students, which says a lot about her.”
Both Goldey and Hoffman received plaques and $1,000 salary increases for their district awards, plus an additional $1,000 salary increase for being their schools’ respective teachers of the year. Other MCS building teachers of the year receiving $1,000 salary increases include:
- Leah Britten – North View Elementary
- Allison Draper – West View Elementary
- Jesseka Cummings – Longfellow Elementary
- Sarah Reynolds – South View Elementary
- Ronnie Howell – East Washington Academy
- Tim Peters – Northside Middle School
- Tammy Greenwell – Southside Middle School
- Sean Slagle – Youth Opportunity Center
“We are extremely fortunate to have so many dedicated educators in Muncie, and these folks are the cream of the crop,” Dr. Reynolds said. “Not only are we grateful for them, but we also need to thank our fabulous school board that makes these salary increases possible.”
In addition to naming a teacher of the year, each school also honors a Rising Star, Support Person of the Year and a Partner in Education. Listed below are the honorees at each school:
Longfellow Elementary:
Rising Star – Hope Delroy
Support Person of the Year – Dennis Tyler
Partner in Education – Ernest Brown Jr.
Grissom Elementary:
Rising Star – Maggie Rice
Support Person of the Year – Amanda Seale
Partner in Education – The Bridge Community Church
North View Elementary:
Rising Star – Jordyne Pitts
Support Person of the Year – Tyler Gilland
Partner in Education – Deliverance Temple Church
South View Elementary:
Rising Star – Rachel Gardner
Support Person of the Year – Windy Thompson
Partner in Education – Dr. Marty Kendrick
West View Elementary:
Rising Star – Amane Brown-Sparks
Support Person of the Year – Audra Lenox
Partner in Education – Shonda Conatser
East Washington Academy:
Rising Star – Molly Jessee
Support Person of the Year – Tabitha Snyder
Partner in Education – The Gathering
Northside Middle School:
Rising Star – Peyton Jenkinson
Support Person of the Year – Jay Coles
Partner in Education – Glad Tidings Church
Southside Middle School:
Rising Star – Celena Mercer and Kevin Zhang
Support Person of the Year – Natalie Eby
Partner in Education – City Life
Muncie Central High School:
Rising Star – Elliot Lakes
Support Person of the Year – Glenda Reynolds
Partner in Education – Project Leadership
About Muncie Community Schools
Serving the local community since 1855, Muncie Community Schools (MCS) educates more than 5,000 students at six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school while also managing several other educational facilities. Through its unique partnership with Ball State University, MCS strives to maximize each student’s potential so he or she can be a positive, productive member of society. Find out more about MCS or MCS Director of Public Education and CEO Dr. Chuck Reynolds at muncieschools.org.
