Gordon State Alumnus Announced Lamar County Teacher of the Year
By: Brittany A. Tennant, Communications Specialist
Gordon State College alumnus Rondrikus Fletcher is making Highlander Nation proud by being honored as the Lamar County Primary School Teacher (LCPS) of the Year as well as Lamar County School Systems Teacher of the Year.
At LCPS faculty and staff vote for their favorite two teachers that they think are deserving of the award. After this process has been completed and the votes have been counted, the school will vote for one of the two finalists. The candidate with the most votes will be declared as the Teacher of the Year for their school. Fletcher was chosen out of nearly 50 teachers to represent LCPS.
Principal of Lamar County Primary School Jeremy Hawkins said, “We are so thankful to have Mr. Fletcher at LCPS. Teachers have many schools in surrounding counties to choose from as their employer. Mr. Fletcher was raised in this community and he has chosen to remain here to make an impact. If you were to visit Mr. Fletcher's classroom, higher order thinking and high expectations are immediately evident. Above all, an authentic relationship is the first priority. Mr. Fletcher is improving the lives of students at LCPS through his teaching, through the provision of love for his students, and by modeling genuine Trojan P.R.I.D.E.!”
Fletcher said, “I truly believe every educator’s goal is to be the teacher of the year. To be the best at what they do. I take pride in coming to work every day and preparing my students for their future. I hold this award to the highest regard because not only does this show my work ethic, it shows the support and respect your colleagues have for you and your craft. I could not receive this award without mentioning my colleagues; who I spend countless hours with planning and preparing lessons. This award belongs to my colleagues just as much as me. This award also goes to my wife, my children, my parents, and the rest of my family who push me to be the best that I can be.”
Fletcher's success didn’t stop there, he was announced Lamar County School Systems Primary Teacher of the Year on November 11 during a School Board meeting. Fletcher said a lot goes into becoming a System Teacher of the Year, “the application requires you to fill out years of experience, degrees received, school demographics, professional association memberships and school type. I also had to submit a professional biography, answer six questions in essay format, and submit three letters of recommendations. Once this process was done, I had a classroom observation by judges from out of county personnel.”
Fletcher’s resume doesn’t stop there, he reined as LCPS’s Pre-K Teacher of the Year in 2016 and went on to be a runner-up in Georgia’s Pre-k Teacher of the Year.
Fletcher graduated from GSC in 2011 with his Bachelors of Science in Education with a major in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. Fletcher says he has always been a believer in experience being the best teacher; however, GSC prepared him for his career as an educator. “The classes at GSC were beneficial because it taught me structure, preparation, how to conduct myself as a professional, and to always take pride in my work. GSC really takes pride in their education candidates as they offer an unlimited amount of resources to ensure the success of all their education candidates. During my time at GSC I had the honor of taking courses from Associate Professor, Dr. Pamela Bell; Professor, Dr. Michael Borders and Assistant Professor, Dr. Allan Gahr. These were a few professors that inspired me to become the professional I am today. To be able to watch them present material daily and how they would interact with the class was a work of art. I will always remember my professors and how they had an impact on me becoming the educator I am today.”