Carrie Gantt, an English teacher and Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow instructor at Princess Anne High School, has been named the 2014 Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) Citywide Teacher of the Year. VBCPS Superintendent James G. Merrill made the announcement this morning with a surprise visit to Gantt’s classroom.
“Carrie’s lessons are among the most challenging, dynamic and thought-provoking lessons I have had the privilege of observing during my tenure as an administrator,” Princess Anne principal James Pohl wrote in his recommendation for Gantt. “She continuously recreates her lessons in order to integrate 21st century skills and to use the most cutting edge instructional research. ..She wows me each time I am in her classroom and she enthralls her students on a daily basis.”
Known for bringing literature to life in her English classes, Gantt consistently tries to find ways to connect some of history’s greatest works to today’s audience.
“We develop interests through her questioning and her strategies that require design or creativity,” Clarissa Traub, a senior at Princess Anne High School, wrote in a letter of recommendation. “As students, we get so excited about English that this extends even beyond the classroom. “
Gantt has been teaching for 23 years. She began her career as a high school teacher in South Carolina, before moving to Virginia. She has taught at Princess Anne High School for all 14 years she has been with the division.
In addition to her work as an English teacher, Gantt is an instructor for Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow, a program designed to inspire and prepare students for careers in education. This is a passion for Gantt who also serves on the VBCPS Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow Citywide Symposium Leadership Team as well as the VBCPS Future Educators Association Advisory Committee.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education from Clemson University and a master’s degree in English Literature from Old Dominion University.
Gantt was selected as the Citywide Teacher of the Year from an initial pool of 86 teachers of the year representing each school. She was one of 10 semi-finalists who received classroom visits from the Teacher of the Year selection committee. Five finalists – including Gantt – were then interviewed to determine the citywide winner.
For more information about Gantt or the 2014 VBCPS Teacher of the Year program, please contact the Office of the Deputy Superintendent at 757-263-1390.
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VBCPS could not have chosen a better candidate to represent our city in state-wide competition for Teacher of the Year. I have worked with Carrie Gantt for more than 11 years and am constantly amazed at the way she brings English to life. She also inspires future teachers in her Teachers for Tomorrow classes. It is exciting to know that others in Virginia Beach and around the Commonwealth will have the opportunity to learn what we at Princess Anne High have known for a long time! I wish Mrs. Gantt all the best as she represents us in the future!