Annie Pearl McCulloch - May Teacher of the Month
Annie Pearl McCulloch has had the honor of teaching at Green Oaks Performing Arts Academy since August 2013, she currently teaches Biology I, serves as Science Department Chair, and is now serving as Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Principals of Instruction. She attended Louisiana State University in Shreveport where she received her Bachelors of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 2011. She later received her Masters in Educational Leadership and Teacher Leader Certification from Louisiana Tech University in 2019.
Annie was selected as Green Oaks Performing Arts Academy’s Teacher of the Year for the 2017-2018 school year. She was also a 2021 Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching Nominee. Annie Pearl loves to volunteer in any capacity at her school. She spear-headed a community canned food and toiletry drive sponsored by the Climate and Culture Committee. As a school, over 1,600 can goods and toiletry items were raised and over 5 church pantries were accommodated.
Annie has dedicated her life to educating and empowering our youth. She is a passionate, outgoing, and a very awesome educator. Annie teaches her students that, “What you put out, is what you get in.” Our world is full of negativity and hate, so always do as Mahatma Ghandi said, and “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Amanda Yancey - March 2022 Teacher of the Month
Amanda Yancey is a 5th and 6th grade English teacher at Mary Goff Elementary in Pineville, Louisiana. She received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Louisiana at Alexandria, and has been an educator for 6 years. While at Mary Goff she has served as the Beta Sponsor, a Fellowship of Christian Students Sponsor, is a member of the Leadership team, and helps her school in any way she can! Her goal is for every child that walks into her classroom to feel loved and accepted, to become a better person, and to grow in their confidence, becoming ready for the challenges ahead of them.
Amanda was nominated by a student and chosen as a KALB Golden Apple Winner in December 2021. She is currently finishing her Masters Degree in Educational Leadership through Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, and hopes to one day move into a leadership role. In her classroom, Amanda develops meaningful relationships with all of her students and creates an environment of mutual respect and love. She believes that meaningful relationships with her students are the catalyst for all students' success.
Amanda has been married to Reggie for 7 years. Together they have a blended family with five children- Jesse, Jennifer, Joyanna, Dean, and Rosaleigh. More than anything, she loves spending time making lasting memories with her family. They stay busy hopping between dance studios, baseball fields, and spending time with extended family.
Everything Amanda does is for her students. She has a strong passion and desire that her school be the best in Rapides Parish and that her students receive every opportunity possible!
Amanda Yancey
Nicole Rentrop - February 2022 Teacher of the Month
Mrs. Nicole Rentrop has been a kindergarten teacher at Delcambre Elementary for the last 13 years with 16 years total teaching. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Nicole loves to be involved in all capacities of her school. From being part of the leadership team, grade level leader, and SBLC chair person, she is always striving to help any fellow teacher or any student she can. She was her schools 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year and works on the District Kindergarten Curriculum Planning Team. Nicole was an integral member of the 2019 State Fellowship Grant for Education promoting developmentally appropriate play in early childhood classrooms.
Her favorite thing about being a kindergarten teacher is seeing the expression on her students faces when they grasp a new concept and constantly dancing and singing silly songs to keep learning fun!
Melissa Jerstad - January 2022 Teacher of the Month
Mrs. Melissa Jerstad Legendre is a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Bayou Blue Elementary School in Houma, Louisiana. She has been a dedicated educator at Bayou Blue Elementary for 7 years, and also serves as the 4-H leader at Bayou Blue Upper Elementary. Melissa is a 2015 Nicholls State University alumna with a Bachelor of Science in Birth to 5 Early Childhood Education/Early Interventionist. She is currently the Pre-Kindergarten inclusion teacher at Bayou Blue Elementary, actively working to ensure equal success for all of her students throughout this crucial first year of grade school. Melissa also serves as a 1st grade teacher during the summer months for the Nicholls State University Summer Camps Program. In this role she helps to provide reinforcement of skills from kindergarten and covers introductory skills of 1st grade. Melissa was recently named Teacher of the Year for Bayou Blue Elementary for the school year.
Teresa Williams
December 2021 Dream Teacher of the Month
First, I am very grateful to be the Dream
Teacher for December.
Next, here are a few facts about me. I
earned my Bachelor's Degree from Wiley
College and my Master's Degree from
Grambling State University. I have been
teaching for eight years at Queensborough
Elementary School. I served as a mentor
teacher for three years at QES, and I took
great pride in assisting my colleagues. One
of my most memorable accomplishments
was receiving The 2018 Red Excellence in
Education Award for Most Improved Test
Scores.
Finally, I love teaching. My goal as a
teacher is to instill in my students a passion
for learning.
Teresa Williams
Elizabeth Rea - November 2021 Teacher of the Month
Elizabeth Rea is in her ninth year of teaching at Denham Springs Junior High, fourteenth year in total. She spent eight years teaching English with experience reaching every level from eighth grade through twelfth grade. She is currently enjoying her fifth year teaching Louisiana history to eighth graders, with some experience teaching American history to seventh graders.
Ms. Rea organizes, plans and chaperones the annual eighth grade field trip to Washington, D.C. What she enjoys most about the trip is watching the students explore another area of the country and have new experiences. Ms. Rea conducts tutoring/study halls for DSJH’s football and basketball teams. These are structured based on her past experience tutoring athletes at LSU. She currently serves as the sponsor of the football team’s water girls and co-sponsor of the Student Ambassador club. Former sponsorships at the high school level include Quiz Bowl, and both the Varsity & JV cheer teams. Former co-sponsorships at DSJH include the JV competition cheer team and Jacket Honor Society (an academic-based service club).
Ms. Rea’s favorite thing about being in the field of education is being able to invest in the lives of students and seeing them find success during their middle school years and well beyond into adulthood.
Stacy Steen - October 2021 Teacher of the Month
Stacy Steen is a 1st grade teacher at Drew Elementary in West Monroe, Louisiana. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and has been an educator for 9 years. She began her teaching career as a kindergarten teacher, and while at Drew Elementary she has also taught 5th and 3rd grade! Her goal is for every child that walks into her classroom to have a want to be there, to feel loved, and to leave with the confidence that they are ready for the next level.
Stacy was chosen as Drew Elementary’s Teacher of the Year for 2020-2021. She went on to be selected as a Top 5 finalist for Elementary Education in Ouachita Parish. While at Drew, she has also been awarded Educator of Distinction. This year is a new beginning in her teaching career with the start of becoming a mentor teacher. In August she welcomed a resident into her classroom. Stacy loves to volunteer at her school. She is an Educator Leader of the Student Council. Beginning four years ago, she initiated a service project ran by the Student Council called “Socktober.” To this date, over 2500 pairs of socks have been donated to a local homeless shelter.
Stacy is married to her best friend, Paul. They have two daughters, Aubrey and Hattie. She loves spending time making lasting memories with her family. They stay busy hopping between dance studios, football fields, and spending time with extended family. They recently added a dog to their home and named him Wrigley who was named after Stacy’s love for the Cub’s baseball team. When she isn't watching football and baseball, you’ll find her in her kitchen cooking! Her passion for cooking is evident from her Facebook page she created, “Simply Cooking,” where she shares food creations and recipe ideas! She also collects cookbooks and now has over 75!
Stacy hopes to leave a lasting impression on the current and future students of her classroom.
Carmen Cook - September 2021 Teacher of the Month
My dream of becoming an educator started many years ago! I began my path to elementary education at LSUA in 2000. But, life had other plans for me at that time. I took a break from school to raise my children and always said I would return to finish my degree once they were in school. When our youngest daughter started prek 3 I took a position at their school, St Anthony of Padua, as a teachers aide for pre-K and kindergarten. I fell in love with the job! I loved the school, the students and the atmosphere! It really gave me the desire to go back to school to finish my degree. So after a lot of weighing my options, pros and cons and a lot of prayers, I decided to take the leap and complete my degree! I went back to LSUA as an online student and completed my degree within two years! At 40 years old I walked across the stage to get my diploma! I begin my seventh year at St Anthony school this August and will be a first time second grade teacher! My motto to my students is “you can change the world!” And I feel as though that is what I am doing, one student at a time.
August 2021 - Belinda Mire
2021 Teacher of the Month
Belinda Mire began her journey in education by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in education (grades 1-8) from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA. To further her educational goals, she earned a Master of Education in Administration from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. For the past 20 years, Mrs. Mire has been a middle school science teacher. Mrs. Mire has spent ten of those years in Houston, Texas, in Sheldon ISD. Currently, Mrs. Mire holds a middle school science teaching position in Lafourche Parish, where she has also spent ten years of her career. Mrs. Mire serves on various leadership committees within Lafourche Parish and for the Louisiana Department of Education. Moreover, she dedicates her time to the community's students by acting as the Sixth Ward Middle School Robotics Club Coach.
July 2021
Robyn Lee
Robyn Lee
My name is Robyn Lee. I just finished my 8th year of teaching. I teach 7th grade ELA in Livingston Parish, where I also attended school myself as a student. I taught for 3 years at Southside Jr. High and then transferred to Live Oak Jr. High when it opened 2017-2018 school year. I have sponsored cheer at both schools, which has always been a passion of mine.
I was selected as the 2019-2020 Live Oak Jr. High Teacher of the year, which was such a great honor. Upon receiving that honor, it prompted me to go back to school and work on my Masters. I started Louisiana State University at Shreveport in February 2020 and I will graduate on May 14th with a Masters of Educational Leadership.
In my classroom I use Flexible Seating which I feel truly allows the students to feel more comfortable and encourages them to want to learn. I want my students to come in my classroom and want to learn, not feel that it is a chore. I try to promote an “open door” rapport with my students because I want them to always know I care and that I am here to help them.
I am a single mom to my 11-year old daughter, Addalyn who keeps me busy with her love of softball. I also have two fur babies, Lucy and Ross who hold a special place in my heart.
I am thankful for my parents, sisters, friends, and amazing co-workers who have always supported and encouraged me along the way. Everything I do is for my daughter to show her that anything is possible when you put your mind to it.
Has a teacher had an extraordinary impact on you as a student, on the life of your child or made outstanding contributions to the success of your school? Honor his or her efforts through a nomination to be the Dream Teachers Teacher of the Month.
Nominations are received throughout the year. Click the “Nominate Button” to the right.
Note: If the nomination is made by a principal, please make sure that the information provided is specific to the relationship between the teacher and the child/student. Teachers should not be nominated for overall general classroom performance. The selection of the Teacher of the Month shall be the responsibility of Dream Teachers alone. The selection committee of Dream Teachers will give priority to teacher nominations made by students and parents.
