Dec. 1, 2005 – Superintendent for the St. Thomas-St. John District, Emily R. Carter, Ph.D., announced the 2006 State Teacher of the Year, District Teacher of the Year, and finalists.
"Georgia Francis, a 24-year veteran music/band instructor at the Charlotte Amalie High School was selected as this year's District Teacher of the Year," said Carter. "Ms. Francis has also been selected as the State Teacher of the Year and will represent the territory at the National Teacher of the Year Conference in Dallas, Texas during January 2006."
Francis, a natural teacher and leader, saw her calling as she organized the activities of her peers as a youngster. Her innate ability to organize, coupled with her commitment to excellence and love for music, has afforded her many distinctions as one of this community's leading music instructors. Her creative and innovative musical arrangements, presentations and productions have led the CAHS Marching Band and Jazz Ensemble to major performances, thus paving the way for successful musical careers for many of the community's talented young musicians.
In congratulating this year's honorees and finalists, Education Commissioner Noreen Michael, Ph.D. said, "The profession of teaching is known to be the worthiest of careers. This year we pay tribute to five individuals who are certainly worthy of the distinction of being the district's outstanding educators. The honorees have collectively given more than a century of dedicated service to scores of children who have passed through the territory's public education system. As educators within DOE, they have each played vital roles in educating, nurturing and shaping the minds of our future teachers, doctors, lawyers and community leaders."
The TOY finalists are: Clifton del Val Boyd, a reading coach and Ms. Jurgen-Hanley, an elementary teacher, both from the Emanuel Benjamin Oliver Elementary School; Phebe Schwartz, an art instructor at the Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School; and Linda V. Sibilly, the business instructor at CAHS.
The teachers will be honored at the Annual TOY Dinner on Friday evening, Dec. 2, at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort.