The Habersham County School District named its 2024 Teacher of the Year and Support Person of the Year at a banquet Thursday evening. Daniel Medders, a 4th-grade teacher at Level Grove Elementary School, received the Teacher of the Year award. School bus driver Linda Garrett was named Support Person of the Year.
The school district celebrated Medders, Garrett, and 29 other honorees during the March 21 banquet at Habersham Central High School in Mt. Airy. One hundred fifty educators, support staff, and family members attended the event.
“I am perplexed and baffled, but I received it and hope I can live up to it,” Medders said after receiving his award. Now in his eighth year at Level Grove, Medders added, “I am so very blessed. I love my school. I love my county. I love my district.”
Garrett was overcome with emotion when she was recognized for her years of devoted service. During her nearly half-century with the county school transportation department, Garrett has logged over 350,000 miles on her bus route, not including the miles she has driven for extracurricular trips.
“I’m just more than honored and humbled to be chosen the support person of the year,” a teary-eyed Garrett said after receiving her award. She added, “I feel like everybody is the support person that was nominated.”
For anyone wondering what has kept her behind the wheel for so long, Garrett summed it up in four words. “I love my job!”
Other honorees
At Thursday night’s banquet, the district recognized the other teachers and support personnel honored this year for their job performance and dedication.
Each of the 14 public schools in the county selected a Teacher and Support Person of the Year. The technology and transportation departments and Central Office also recognized their support personnel. A panel selected Medders and Garrett for the districtwide honors from among these 31 honorees:
Baldwin Elementary – Brittany Whitlock and Ashley Hall
Clarkesville Elementary – Abby Westmoreland and Dana Bruce
Cornelia Elementary – Elisavet Lama and Amanda Hagerty
Demorest Elementary – Meghann Holbrook and Amy Farlow
Fairview Elementary – Kristi Rayner and Kelly Gunn
Hazel Grove Elementary – Shaye Huff and Christy Ricci
Level Grove Elementary – Daniel Medders and Kathleen Cook
Woodville Elementary – Nancy Srock and LaQuilla Berkshire
Hilliard Wilbanks Middle School – Bethany Davis and Diana Williams
North Habersham Middle School – Tiffany Collins and Jeannie Cook
South Habersham Middle School – Dena Tyree and Nella Castner
Habersham Ninth Grade Academy – Ben Bolton and Erika Dodd
Success Academy – Ryan Lathem and Laura Herrera
Habersham Central High School – Ric Wallace and Rick Mason
Technology Dept. – Kimberly Stewart
Transportation Dept. – Linda Garrett
Central Office – Sharon Miller
(click on photos to enlarge and scroll through)
