(Memphis) For the first time in 29 years, a Memphis City Schools teacher has been awarded the Tennessee Teacher of the Year.
Richland Elementary teacher Allyson Chick teaches third grade and has been teaching for 13 years.
Chick was honored in Nashville Tuesday.
Today, she was honored by a cafeteria full of students at Richland Elementary.
“I have the determination and drive and passion for what I do,” explained Chick.
Chick has a 5, which is the highest score on MCS’ new Teacher Effectiveness Measure, which is based on test scores and a student survey.
Students, teachers, staff and even parents came by for the celebration.
Chick said she is teaching the future, and will stop at nothing to help her students be successful, “Everyone knows as teachers everyone always talks about what materials we don’t have and the things that we are lacking and that’s the truth. If there is something I want to do in my classroom, something innovative I’m going to seek out ways. Whether its writing grants or recruiting people in the community to help me,.”
Chick will now represent the state in the national Teacher of the Year competition.
She will find out if she wins next April.
