As the district's overall 2004-05 Teacher of the Year, Atwood now represents

Fulton County in the Georgia Teacher of the Year program, which will announce

a winner next spring. She plans to use the coming school year as an opportunity

to encourage other teachers in Fulton County to succeed, examine their goals

and opportunities, and to have pride in their profession.

Beth Poole � Elementary School Teacher of the Year

A former accountant, Beth Poole has turned her love of numbers into a love

of teaching. Instead of bookkeeping and filing tax returns, the kindergarten

teacher at Creek View Elementary now helps young children master their numbers

and alphabet, and instills other fundamentals of learning.

Feeling that a business background, strong communication and organizational

skills, and an enthusiasm for the classroom would be a successful combination,

Poole returned to North Georgia College and State University to earn a Master's

degree in Early Childhood Education and later, a Specialist's degree

in Teacher Leadership. She began teaching in 1997 at Sweet Apple Elementary

and four years later transferred to Creek View Elementary.

Poole's greatest rewards in teaching lie in her students' enthusiasm

toward learning and the delight in their eyes when they accomplish something

they thought impossible. She works to develop each student's confidence

in his or her abilities and to develop a positive first impression of school.

- Richard Williams � High School Teacher of the Year

Richard Williams, a ninth grade English teacher, first learned the power

of teaching when he gently coaxed a terrified 13-year-old to put aside his

fears of the water and wade into the deep end of a YMCA pool. Mr. Williams,

then a day camp counselor, experienced how one person could change another's

life by simply guiding them with patience and compassion. As a result of

his influence, the child became one of the YMCA's expert swimmers.

Williams embraced that lesson and became a high school English teacher,

first in Cherokee County, and in 2001, at Milton High School. He continues

to guide young minds by challenging them to think about life through the

characters in their literature books. He encourages his students to find

their voices in writing and stresses the importance of the classics while

still emphasizing the works of contemporary authors.

A veteran with 13 years of teaching experience, Mr. Williams also supports

his fellow educators as a mentor. Even as a seasoned professional, he still

understands the challenges and pressures facing newer teachers and offers

advice and encouraging words.��

Deborah Mason, Overall School Professional of the Year

Deborah Mason from Woodland Elementary Charter School inspires students

and teachers alike with her enthusiasm about science. Ms. Mason operates

the school's science lab, which has upwards of 170 visitors a day and

features hands-on science lessons, including a popular rotating zoology exhibit

for students to learn about different animals and their habitats.

A school paraprofessional who is dedicated to helping others, Ms. Mason

studies the state science curriculum and plans correlating activities for

use in her lab. She researches new and exciting science programs for teachers

and is quick to suggest activities to use in their classrooms. For several

years she has coordinated the Imagine That Science Enrichment Program summer

camp, attended by students across metro Atlanta, which gives children a place

to explore their love of science.

Not just a science enthusiast, Ms. Mason also provides reading and language

arts help to students through Woodland's after-school program. She is

well respected by her Woodland peers as an employee who goes above and beyond

to help students and teachers.

Beckey Jones, Overall Support Professional of the Year

Beckey Jones, manager of the Professional Development Resource Center at

the Kimball Bridge Center, has made a lasting impression on thousands of

Fulton County students. A 17-year veteran employee � 13 of those years as

a school paraprofessional � Jones models lifelong learning through her support

of professional development, often taking several courses a year to improve

her skills.���

Every day, Jones makes decisions regarding the instructional resources and

workshop materials offered at the center. These resources have immeasurable

impact on students, as they prepare teachers for the classroom and for staff

development courses. In addition, her attention to detail has saved the school

system $15,000 by working closely with vendors to streamline shipping and

delivery procedures. The savings have been used for ordering more educational

resources, further benefiting each teacher and student.