Suzanne Hampton Murphy

Murphy named Teacher of the Year

Preschool teacher Susanne Hampton Murphy was honored during an Alleghany Board of Education meeting May 9, where she was named Teacher of the Year for Alleghany County Schools.

Nominees for the system-wide award are selected by their peers at their individual schools; and the winner of the county-wide award is then selected by a committee of school and community representatives. This year's committee consisted of Diane Wyatt, last year's teacher of the year; Dennis Gambill, Coby LaRue, Tom Richardson, Kaye Royall, Robert "Bob" Sprinkle and Eric Thomas.

According to information about the Teacher of the Year program, the goals of the program are to recognize and reward teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching; to recruit high-quality, diverse teachers; to support exemplary induction programs; to model the best practices in teaching; to promote and demonstrate the use of technology; to communicate and make an impact on educational issues and policies; to build effective partnerships on the local, regional and state levels with other agencies; and to advance a communication network among teachers.

This year, Tracey Weeks of Alleghany High School was nominated; as well as Susan Irwin of Glade and Karena Caudill of Sparta.

Murphy is an alumna of Appalachian State University and Lenoir-Rhyne College. She attained birth through kindergarten certification from Lenoir-Rhyne in 2001; after receiving her bachelors in 1994 in special education including a kindergarten through 12th grade learning disabilities certification.

Murphy was hired by the Alleghany County School System in August 1999 and worked as a preschool teacher in a self-contained exceptional children's preschool classroom until the end of the school year. The following fall, Murphy began working as a preschool teacher in an inclusive preschool classroom, a position she still holds today.

Meanwhile, Murphy was also an instructor of early childhood education and child development at Wilkes Community College from August 2004 through August 2005.

Murphy is also a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the North Carolina Association of Educators. During 2001 and 2002, she served as a school representative for the latter organization.

Within her portfolio, Murphy admitted the last profession she ever thought herself to be affiliated with was teaching.

"I consciously tried to avoid this career path," she said. "I was reared in (a) family of many educators and I was certain that I would do something different." After entering college, Murphy declared business to be her major.

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