April SuperStar Teacher: Celebrating Stephanie O’Hare at Eastwood Elementary School
Ms. Stephanie O’Hare, a Kindergarten teacher at Eastwood Elementary School in Decatur, is the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce's SuperStar Teacher for April presented by Hubbard & Drake General - Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Our April sponsor Decatur Coca-Cola Bottling Company represented by Luke Davis, Chamber Chairman of the Board John Holley, Chamber board member Lorri McNutt with Redstone Federal Credit Union along with Chamber staff, surprised Ms. O’Hare with two gift cards—one for her classroom and one for personal use.
The nomination received by the Chamber from Eastwood Elementary School Principal Luke Bergeson celebrated Ms. O’Hare’s hard work and dedication in the classroom. It goes on to read, “Stephanie O'Hare works tirelessly to meet the needs of her students and it is easily recognized by her students, parents, peers and administration. While Ms. O’Hare is a veteran teacher of 17 years, most of her career has been at the middle school level. This is her first year as a kindergarten teacher at Eastwood Elementary. Her strengths as a teacher are attributed to her steadfast commitment to the district’s non-negotiables along with her eagerness to continuously grow as a teacher. Ms. O’Hare lives by bell-to-bell instruction, and she utilizes every instructional method and strategy to ensure every one of her students is successful. You will often see her delivering small-group and one-on-one instruction. Many times, she will use her planning period to make certain a student has mastered grade-level standards and skills.
"This is my third year at Eastwood Elementary. I taught first grade the first two years and then transitioned to kindergarten this year,” said Stephanie O’Hare. “I was not expecting this at all. It feels amazing. Teaching is a profession that is rewarding in so many different ways, but it does feel so good to be seen by your administrator and the community because teaching is a work of your heart. You are giving it all you've got so it's nice to know that people are seeing that."
The Chamber kicked off this initiative in January and we are excited to recognize outstanding educators like Ms. O’Hare who not only make learning fun but also leave a lasting impact on their students and community. Throughout the year, we'll continue to surprise and honor educators in Decatur-Morgan County who exemplify excellence in teaching and inspire those around them.