PCSD's Teacher of the Year Program

Tammy Duncan - PCSD's 2024-25 Teacher of the Year

Tammy Duncan, PCSD's 2024-25 Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Tammy Duncan, of Jasper Middle School, for being named the 2024-25 Teacher of the Year for Pickens County School District. She will go on to compete for the 2026 Georgia State Teacher of the Year.

Meet our 2025-26 Teachers of the Year

Our 2025-26 Sponsors

We would like to thank our sponsors for their support of our Teacher of the Year program.

  • Balloontastic Designs

  • Brown Haven Homes (Ellijay)

  • Buff City Soap (Canton)

  • Buffalo Lukes

  • Century 21 Lindsey & Pauley

  • Chattahoochee Technical

  • CollegeClock Tower Gifts & Boutique

  • Community Bank of Pickens County

  • ETC

  • H & R Block

  • Hartman Law Firm

  • iThink Financial

  • Key to the World Travel

  • Kicks & Co

  • North GA Thermography & Wellness

  • Northside Church of Christ

  • Pickens County Progress

  • Renasant Bank

  • Revolution Church

  • Sonny's Southern Originals

  • Taylor's Boutique

  • Tutton CDJR

  • United Community Bank

  • Woodstock Church Jasper

Interested in supporting PCSD's Teacher of the Year program? If so, please reach out to Destini Shope at destinishope@pickenscountyschools.org.

About the Program

The Teacher of the Year program strives to promote and retain quality teachers and focuses on three program goals:  

  1. Elevate the teaching profession by recognizing, celebrating, and
    providing unique and innovative learning experiences for highly accomplished teachers. 

  2. Amplify teacher voice to advance student learning and champion
    student success. 

  3. Expose teachers to relevant policy topics and develop the context
    for teacher leadership. ​

In Pickens County, we follow the guidance from the Georgia Department of Education's Georgia TOTY program. 

Each school selects a Teacher of the Year based on the GA DOE criteria.  Each school-level winner then competes for the Pickens County School District Teacher of the Year.  For this step of the process, school-level winners are evaluated by a committee made up of community members and retired educators.  The evaluation includes a paper application review, a teaching video review, and an in-person panel interview.  The scores are compiled for all three areas and the candidate with the highest score is announced as our district winner at an annual Teacher of the Year banquet held in May.  The winner goes on to compete for the Georgia Teacher of the Year.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Are you interested in supporting PCSD's Teacher of the Year program? If so, please reach out to Destini Shope at destinishope@pickenscountyschools.org.