From staff reports
A veteran teacher with 22 years of teaching experience was named as the Beaufort County’s 2022-2023 District Teacher of the Year last Friday.
The selection of LaVerne Stewart, who teaches English Language Arts at Hilton Head Island Middle School, was announced during a celebration honoring teachers of the year from all of the district’s schools.
“I am completely overwhelmed. I almost have no words,” Stewart said. “I thank the selection team and especially the teachers that I work with at Hilton Head Island Middle.”
Hilton Head Island Middle School Principal Clint Austin said Stewart has a collaborative approach and works well with students and families.
“She works hard to represent not only the students, but the teachers in our building,” Austin said. “She works tirelessly to make sure she’s providing the best outcomes for our students.”
The four other finalists for 2022-2023 District Teacher of the Year were Kinsey Butler at Bluffton Middle School; Justine Hardy at Battery Creek High School; Karri Kearns at May River High School; and Jennifer Lyles at Coosa Elementary School.
Stewart’s educational philosophy is that every child can learn and should experience success in the classroom. She wrote in her Teacher of the Year application that she believes with the right motivation, direction, and a strong foundation any child can be taught the joys of learning and connect to the world around them.
Stewart is a second generation English Language Arts (ELA) educator. Her mother, Vernell Speaks-Stewart, was also a 7th Grade ELA educator in Beaufort County.
“I’m doing my best to honor her memory and who she was as an educator in Beaufort County School District,” Stewart said. “What she instilled in me I want to put into my students, to pass on that legacy of love of reading and learning, and just life in general.”
Stewart holds a doctorate degree in Christian Education from Cathedral Bible College; a Master of Education in gifted and talented education from Converse College; and a Master of Science degree from Wheelock College. She has also earned an Educational Specialist in Education Administration degree from S.C. State University.
2022-2023 Teachers of the Year by School
Battery Creek High Justine Hardy*
Beaufort Elementary Paige Grennan
Beaufort High Dawn Peebles
Beaufort Middle Jordan Pender
Beaufort-Jasper ACE Edwin Tucker
Bluffton Elementary, ECC Laura Bradley
Bluffton High Jeron Martinez
Bluffton Middle Kinsey Butler*
Broad River Elementary Tracy Maxwell
Coosa Elementary Jennifer Lyles*
H. E. McCracken Middle Kelly McMahan
Hilton Head ECC Teresa Nelson
Hilton Head Elementary (IB) Helen Ashton
Hilton Head Island Creative Arts, Emily JeffordsDaufuskie Island
Hilton Head Island High Garret Talarczyk
Hilton Head Island Middle Dr. Laverne Stewart*
Joseph Shanklin Elementary Cathy Cobbs
Lady’s Island Elementary Angela Tidwell
Lady’s Island Middle Marta Smith
May River High School Karri Kearns*
M. C. Riley Elementary/ECC Victoria Cockrell
Mossy Oaks Elementary Becky Schlack-Babb
Okatie Elementary Diane Woods
Port Royal Elementary Kimberly Islas
Pritchardville Elementary Rosemary Birchall
Red Cedar Elementary Aneta Garbutt Cummings
River Ridge Academy Lauren Borasky
Robert Smalls Intl. Academy Amber Reeves
St. Helena Elementary, ELC Cheilon Preston
Whale Branch E.C. High Robert “Jack” Bryant
Whale Branch El., Davis ECC Cindy Crosby
Whale Branch Middle Blakely Fowler
Adult Education Peggie Darien
