8 finalist remain in teacher of the year race

Eight teachers in Douglas County have been selected as semi-finalists for Douglas County Teacher of the Year. All 34 schools in the county selected a Teacher of the Year in the spring. These 34 candidates attended an informational meeting in May and completed an extensive application over the summer. A group of 16 judges read and scored the applications, with eight teachers being named semi-finalists.
The semi-finalists will be observed in their classrooms and interviewed by the judges. Three finalists and the overall Teacher of the Year for Douglas County will be named at the Teacher of the Year celebration at Central Baptist Church September 28, 4:30 p.m. The public is invited to the celebration. The Douglas County Teacher of the Year will advance to the Georgia Teacher of the Year competition. Following is information about the semi-finalists.
Richard Parham, Alexander High School
Richard Parham is the Law Enforcement instructor at Alexander High School where he also serves as chair for the Career Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Department. Prior to teaching, he was a police officer for the Douglasville Police Department where he worked as a Patrol Officer, Traffic Officer, as well as the Hiring and Recruitment Officer.
 
Mr. Parham began his teaching career in August, 1996, at Alexander High School, where he started the Law Enforcement Services Career Pathway and where he continues teaching today. During his time as the Law Enforcement Instructor, he has been involved in the development and writing of the curriculum for his program as well as helping develop state-wide S.L.O. assessments.
 
In addition to his classroom duties, Mr. Parham also serves on the Alexander High School Leadership Team. Being a department chair and leadership team member allows him to be a vital part of the school’s mission to provide a strong educational environment for all students.
 
During the 2016-2017 school year, Mr. Parham was one of 20 CTAE teachers from across Georgia selected for the inaugural LEAD CTAE program. LEAD CTAE is a combined effort of the State CTAE Department, Georgia Association of Career and Technical Educators (GACTE) and the CTAE Resource Network to develop a core of CTAE teachers to lead CTAE efforts throughout the state, thus strengthening the economic landscape of Georgia.
 
Another role that Mr. Parham enjoys is being the “Voice of the Cougars” for Alexander varsity football games on Friday nights in the fall.
 

 
 
Lauren Cook, Arbor Station Elementary School
Lauren Cook is a product of the Douglas County School System.  She attended Arbor Station Elementary School, Chapel Hill Middle School, and graduated from Douglas County High School.  Mrs. Cook received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of West Georgia.  She received her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Leadership from the University of Colorado.  In 2009 she added a Reading Endorsement to her teaching certificate. 
Mrs. Cook has been married to Jonathan Cook for over 20 years and they have two handsome sons named Henry and Charlie.  As a family, they enjoy swimming at Dog River, campfires, and hiking.
Mrs. Cook is currently in her 18th year of teaching.  She taught a K-1-2 multiage class for two years in Colorado at Ft. Carson and first grade for an additional five years in Colorado.  After those seven years of teaching, she took three years off to move back to Georgia and stay home to raise her family.  Mrs. Cook began teaching again in 2006 as a half time reading teacher at Eastside Elementary School in Douglasville.  In 2007 she went back to teaching full time at Eastside as a Title I reading teacher.  In 2009 she was honored as Eastside's Teacher of the Year.  In 2013 Lauren transferred to her elementary alma mater, Arbor Station Elementary School.  Mrs. Cook feels blessed to be in the position to teach, love and impact such a diverse and talented group of students. 

 
Joseph Bogozan, Bright Star Elementary School
Joseph W. Bogozan Jr. began his teaching career at Lithia Springs Elementary School in 2002. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Mercer University in P-5 Early Childhood Education. After several years at LSES, he begin teaching 5th grade at Bright Star Elementary, where he is currently the K-5th grade Math Lab teacher.
Mr. Bogozan also earned his master’s degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Multiculturalism and Ethics from Kennesaw State University, in addition to his Gifted Endorsement, Reading Endorsement, ESOL Endorsement, and Science Endorsement. Mr. Bogozan has completed the Douglas County Aspiring Leader program and has facilitated many programs for Bright Star. His current project, the Boys to Men Club, mentors 3rd-5th graders, teaching them how to tie a tie, build bird feeders, and plant a garden. Mr. Bogozan is honored and excited to be selected as Bright Star’s Teacher of the Year.

 
Lonnie Woods, Burnett Elementary School
Lonnie Woods started out as a substitute teacher for Fulton County Schools in 2007. While serving as a substitute teacher, he went back to school to earn a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. After gaining his teaching certification, he taught math and science for two years at Mt. Olive Elementary School in Fulton County
Mr. Woods took his passion for education to the Middle East where he taught English, math, and science at Mohammad Bin Khalifa School for Boys in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Teaching Arabic students who did not speak English has proven to be his toughest educational experience to date. Although challenging, he credits his international teaching experience for giving him even more passion, patience, and understanding for the different dynamics of education and the learning experience.
Mr. Woods currently teaches 5th grade math at Burnett Elementary School. At Burnett he serves as Safety Patrol chairman, 5th grade chairman and math representative. He established and chairs the intramural sports program and the “About Face” boys mentoring group. The mentoring program focuses on teaching young men that it’s never too late to turn their lives around by being accountable for their actions at school and in their communities.
Mr. Woods partnered with neighboring school Eastside Elementary as they competed in basketball and football scrimmages throughout the school year. Both schools established teams that included kindergarten through 5th grade. A host of teachers, staff, and parents were involved in making the intramural sports program a success.
Mr. Woods’ mission is to redirect the social pressures of young boys that often lead to a path of unforgiving mistakes. He believes and embraces the fact that young men simply have more respect for mentors and coaches than they do parents and teachers. Mr. Woods refuses the notion that young minority boys are a body of failing students and citizens. He reminds them, their families, and their communities to expect success, embrace failure and learn from it, and to always continue to reach for the stars.

 
Jeremy Anderson, Chapel Hill High School
Jeremy Anderson grew up in Middleburg Florida in a large family of eight where each person’s name started with the letter J. His family moved to Douglasville where he and his siblings attended the new Alexander High School. After graduation, Mr. Anderson enrolled in the University of West Georgia and majored in Computer Information Systems.
While attending classes at West Georgia, Mr. Anderson worked full time as a store manager for a pager company.  He loved working with the newest technology and the store he managed transitioned from pagers to cell phones.  While working as a store manager, Mr. Anderson created a game store business, which soon became his full time job. He owned one of the largest card game shops in west Georgia and hosted events that brought in numerous participants from all over the state. It was at this shop where he developed a love of teaching others. 
After five years of owning his own business, Mr. Anderson realized that in order to raise a family with his new bride Lisa Anderson, he needed a more stable schedule. One of his former employees introduced him to the principal of Herschel Jones Middle School. Mr. Anderson entered an alternative teaching program at Georgia State University and taught middle school as a special education and math teacher. Wanting to work closer to home, he later switched to Chapel Hill High School where he has spent the last nine years teaching math and facilitating the use of technology for both students and teachers alike.

 
Anisa Lucas-Grant, Chestnut Log Middle School
Anisa Joi Lucas-Grant is a natural born leader. Growing up in the inner city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, her parents instilled in her that education was the key to unlock her true potential. It was then that Mrs. Lucas-Grant developed her love for learning. She graduated high school with distinction.  Mrs. Lucas-Grant holds a bachelor’s of science degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master’s of education degree from California University of Pennsylvania.
In July 2006, Mrs. Lucas-Grant moved to Smyrna, Georgia, to teach kindergarten. From the moment she stepped into her first classroom, she knew she was fulfilling her destiny. After nine years of establishing a strong foundation for younger students, Mrs. Lucas-Grant realized that it was time to expand her sphere of influence. 
Mrs. Lucas-Grant accepted a language arts position at Chestnut Log Middle School. In her first year, she was recognized as a teacher leader who had great classroom management and great relationship building skills. After her first year, she was asked to serve as team leader of 6th grade. She also entered the Gifted Certification Program. Mrs. Lucas-Grant believes that as an educator, she helps her students develop goals, morals and ethics that are followed throughout life. She helps her students by providing them with the knowledge to make good decisions in life and considers herself to be a nation builder. Mrs. Lucas-Grant wants her students to know that she learns from them just like they learn from her and that it’s truly an honor to be an educator!

 
Sarah Anthony, Mason Creek Elementary School
Sarah Anthony has been teaching at Mason Creek Elementary since it opened in 2009. She pioneered the STEM class at Mason Creek Elementary beginning in 2016. Through this class, she teaches students from grades kindergarten through 5th on a daily basis.
Mrs. Anthony received both her bachelor’s and her master’s degrees in education from the University of West Georgia. Through her experience at New Manchester Elementary and Mason Creek Elementary, Mrs. Anthony has taught all subjects in both 4th and 5th grade over the last 10 years. She has organized Mason Creek’s Science Fair for the past three years and also has helped students prepare for the science fair in a science club after school. As a district science fair judge, Mrs. Anthony has been able to offer feedback to students all over the county.
As a lead teacher for Project Lead the Way, Mrs. Anthony trains other teachers at her school on the program. Last summer she was chosen as one of two elementary school science ambassadors for Douglas County. She was trained on the GSE standards and strategies to implement 3D science lessons. Mrs. Anthony used this knowledge to train other elementary science teachers in Douglas County. In the 2016-2017 school year, Mrs. Anthony served on the Science Instructional Resource Adoption Committee and the curriculum map writing team. Mrs. Anthony is passionate about planting the seed for critical thinking so students can become lifelong learners.

 
 
Roxanne Purcell, Turner Middle School
 
Roxanne Purcell received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1994 and her teaching certificate in Middle Grades Mathematics and Social Studies from the University of West Georgia in 2011. She currently teaches 6th grade mathematics at Turner Middle School.
 
Ms. Purcell’s professional interests include vocabulary instruction and differentiating mathematics for at-risk students, especially English language learners and students with disabilities. She is the 6th Grade Department Chair at Turner Middle School. She serves as coach for the Turner Middle School Math team, which has been the Douglas County Middle School Mathematics Overall Champions for two consecutive years, including 2015-2016 and 2016-2017; as well as the 6th Grade Mathematics Champions in 2014 - 2015 and 2016 - 2017. She served as chair of Turner Middle School’s annual United Way Campaign during 2014 – 2015 and 2015 - 2016, and as co-chair in 2016 - 2017.  Ms. Purcell also works as an after-school mathematics tutor for the FOCUS 21st Century Grant Program.
 
Ms. Purcell volunteered extensively at her children’s schools when they were younger, including serving as PTO president of her children’s middle school for five years. It was this volunteer work that made her realize how much she enjoyed working with middle school students. Most recently, while her daughter was enrolled at Georgia Tech, Ms. Purcell volunteered with the Parents Program during Freshman Orientation Week. Additionally, she has served as secretary and social director of her homeowners association board.