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Spotsylvania chemistry teachers earns regional teacher of the year honors Date published: 9/26/2009
BY JEFF BRANSCOME
A Riverbend High School student sums up chemistry teacher Susan Catlett in two words--"friggin' awesome." The state agrees. Catlett, 34, learned yesterday that she won Teacher of the Year Honors for Region 3 of Virginia, which includes 17 school divisions. Spotsylvania County Superintendent Jerry Hill and other administrators walked into her advanced-placement chemistry class yesterday morning to tell her the good news. They carried balloons, roses and doughnuts from Paul's Bakery. The state Department of Education will choose Virginia's Teacher of the Year on Oct. 16. Catlett is competing against seven other instructors. Catlett said she's overwhelmed. "I kept thinking, what in the world?" she said. "How did that happen? I come in, I do my job and try to be great at it." Her students said she's more than a great teacher. "She's so casual," said 11th-grader Janay Hutcheson. "She approaches us as people, not just students. It's a better learning environment." Catlett's classroom reflects some of her fun personality. A gold toilet seat with student signatures is And her "suggestion box" is actually a recycling bin. "She makes it fun," said student Brenden Murphy. "She kind of punches monotony in the face." Every Monday and Wednesday, Catlett offers tutoring to her students for an hour. Students can recover points on assignments during what she calls "after-school help and recovery." A Spotsylvania native, she graduated from Chancellor High School in 1993 and came to Riverbend High in 2007. Riverbend High School Principal Troy Wright called her the "real deal." "Sincere love and dedication to her students are the driving forces behind all that Ms. Catlett does in the classroom," he said. Jeff Branscome: 540/374-5402
Congrats to Ms. Catlett. But Dr. Hill should know better than to bring doughnuts to a school celebration! Afterall, there was supposed to be a wellness program in place in the school division. Next time Dr. Hill shouldn't leave the wellness policy at the door. The students need a role model who leads by example. Time for a change.
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