TEF Recognizes New Teacher Awards

Each year, the Tuscaloosa Education Foundation recognizes an elementary, middle and high school teacher in each system that is new to the profession.

Each recipient receives $150 toward their classroom set up for the new year. Due to COVID-19 and the New Teacher Orientation sessions being virtual, the teachers were chosen randomly from a list provided by the System HR Office. Dr. Boman surprised them at their school prior to the beginning of school. Congratulations to our award winners and thank you for choosing the teaching profession!

The new teacher recipients are pictured above and are as follows:

• Lauren Perkins, Oakdale Elementary School

• Andrew Robertson, Northridge Middle School

• Sean Gibson, Northridge High School

• Michaela Woday, Big Sandy Elementary School

• Scott Miller, Echols Middle School

• Samantha Day, Tuscaloosa County High School

Community Leaders Help Children Learn to Read

[Source: The Tuscaloosa News]

On Thursday, Cheryl Fondren read a children’s book.

The Success by 6 director read the book “The Day You Begin,” by Jacqueline Woodson in front of her cellphone at the offices of United Way of West Alabama.

She is one of more than 30 community leaders who have volunteered to read a book for kids over the course of the summer as part of the Leaders Are Readers program.

The reading sessions are recorded then distributed to children in the kindergarten through third grade in the Tuscaloosa City Schools through the website tuscaloosareads.org.

“It’s a great feeling to know that you are helping children be more successful because, if we can give them the tools to read, we are giving them the keys to success for life,” Fondren said.

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Jones Named United Way Campaign Chair

Longtime educator, principal and community volunteer Shelley Jones will be a familiar face raising awareness for the 2020-21 United Way of West Alabama campaign.

As chair, Jones can use contacts and connections over 58 years living and working in Tuscaloosa to help explain the needs and functions of the United Way’s 26 member agencies.

“She’s so well-known, and such a dynamic person,” said Monique Scott, the campaign director.

In addition to being the face and voice, Jones has already begun chair duties by establishing a cabinet of three dozen community members, from bankers to educators to government officials to lawyers to automakers to dentists and more, all of them reaching out to help find the funds.

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