Brian McGill, who teaches English at Tomahawk Creek Middle School, is the 2024 Chesterfield County Teacher of the Year. He has taught in Chesterfield County Public Schools since 2008, first at Carver Middle and since 2020 at Tomahawk Creek Middle. Previously, he taught in schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
Tomahawk Creek Middle Principal Rebecca Thompson said, “Brian has been an amazing addition to our Tomahawk Creek English department. I am truly in awe of his ability to connect with his students and his uncanny ability to ignite the passion for reading into his students. Not only does he encourage students to stretch themselves academically, he also gives students the tools to be independent thinkers and researchers.”
Asked about his impact on students, McGill wrote, “I ensure education transcends the classroom by taking the lessons we have learned through literature, both fiction and nonfiction, and apply it to real life situations. One may think that applying it to ‘real life situations’ means societal issues, and that is true, but first I make the students apply it to themselves. Why? Because we cannot control society, we can contribute to it on an individual level, so I start with the individual.”
Every Chesterfield County school annually selects its Teacher of the Year. Chesterfield County Public Schools selects from those honorees an Elementary School Teacher of the Year, a Middle School Teacher of the Year and a High School Teacher of the Year, then chooses the districtwide Teacher of the Year from those three honorees. Each year, Chesterfield County Public Schools leaders notify the top three Teachers of the Year of their selection by sweeping into their classrooms with balloons, banners and big excitement. Here are the top 2024 teachers for Chesterfield County Public Schools:
- Brian McGill, English teacher at Tomahawk Creek Middle, is the Chesterfield County Teacher of the Year and the Middle School Teacher of the Year.
- J.P. Gates, PE teacher at Greenfield Elementary, is the Elementary School Teacher of the Year.
- Kathryn “Katy” Clarke, program coordinator for the Governor’s Academy for Engineering Studies and technology education teacher at Bird High, is the High School Teacher of the Year.
In letters presented to the district’s top three Teachers of the Year, Superintendent Mervin Daugherty wrote, “In every school and at every level, certain teachers stand out. These teachers demonstrate care and compassion, stress the importance of rigor and relationships and do the extra things necessary to help move our students toward success. They are committed to being game changers. You are one of our teaching superstars.”
Here are Teachers of the Year from every school in Chesterfield County Public Schools:
Elementary schools
- Bellwood: Briannah Ortega
- Bensley: Victoria Travis
- Beulah: Frances “Mandy” Willis
- Bon Air: Melissa Lehman
- Chalkley: Tess Aylor
- Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy: Julie Gray
- Chesterfield Virtual School: Suzanne Stines
- Marguerite Christian: Megan Colpo
- Clover Hill: Kathy Loppacker
- Crenshaw: Maria Castillo
- Crestwood: Anna Wampler
- Curtis: Dylan Robeson
- Davis: Greta Harris
- Ecoff: Kelly Smith
- Enon: Christi Brubaker
- Ettrick: Michelle Dorchak
- Evergreen: Angela Cross
- Falling Creek: Elizabeth Metzfield
- Gates: Jessica Dolan
- Gordon: DeShonna Smith
- Grange Hall: Sarah Palmatier
- Greenfield: J.P. Gates
- Harrowgate: Bridget Annunziata
- Hening: Isabel Rubinos
- Hopkins: Kelly Mattei
- Jacobs Road: Lauren Jamison
- Matoaca: Molly Osterbind
- Moseley: Christa Godfrey
- Old Hundred: Stephanie Smith
- Providence: Michelle Scheer
- Reams Road: James “Zak” Devore
- Robious: Tayler Cross
- Salem Church: Brooke Gallion
- Elizabeth Scott: Elise Hughes
- Alberta Smith: Jenna Toth
- Spring Run: Steven Kaminski
- Swift Creek: Kelly Scanlon
- Watkins: Dianna Yolango
- Bettie Weaver: Megan Fishell
- Wells: Jared Robles
- Winterpock: Harley Fore
- Woolridge: Stephanie Schunder
Middle schools
- Bailey Bridge: Reeshida Smith
- Carver: Alexis Wood
- Elizabeth Davis: Kevin Heise
- Falling Creek: Jessica King
- Manchester: Nicole Boyd
- Matoaca: Elissa Hughes
- Midlothian: Christopher King
- Providence: Sheridan Summer
- Robious: Jessica Martin
- Salem Church: Monika Halligan
- Swift Creek: Tomas Lengel
- Tomahawk Creek: Brian McGill
High schools
- Bird: Kathryn “Katy” Clarke
- Carver College and Career Academy: Katie Marsh
- CCPSOnline: Sara Noblin
- Chesterfield Career and Technical Center @ Courthouse: Will Willis
- Chesterfield Career and Technical Center @ Hull: Ashley Harwood
- Clover Hill: Dan Waidelich
- Cosby: Bobby Herting
- Thomas Dale: Kimberly Leggette
- James River: Serena “Maria” Manning
- Manchester: Ashley Patrick
- Matoaca: Leah Mineo
- Meadowbrook: Bessie Laws
- Midlothian: Elizabeth “Betsy” Marshall
- Monacan: Julie Coleman