Northside Elementary Teacher Kathy Ramsey Named 2024 DeKalb School District Teacher of the Year

March 20, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The 2024 DeKalb County School District Teacher of the Year is Kathy Ramsey, a 4th grade ELA (English, Language Arts) and Social Studies Teacher at Northside Elementary School.

Ramsey got a surprise visit to her classroom Tuesday for the “John Isabell Memorial Award” presentation by Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, Northside Elementary School Principal Angela Johnson, NES Assistant Principal Beth Pafford, Supervisors of Instruction Michelle Burklow and Randy Jennings, and Federal Programs Supervisor Dr. Danielle Collins. As part of the honor, Ramsey also received a school bell award, a floral arrangement, and a certificate granting her a day off from school with pay.

In addition to the visit with Ramsey, Director Cripps and school administrators paid a call on four other teachers at their schools Tuesday to present the school level “Teacher of the Year” awards including 1st grade educator Crystal Barnes at DeKalb West School; Kindergarten teacher Misty Agee at Smithville Elementary School; Lori Hendrix, an 8th grade History teacher at DeKalb Middle School, and Debi DePriest, a government teacher at DeKalb County High School.

This is the 17th annual Teacher of the Year observance.

“Not only is Ms Ramsey being recognized by her peers as “Teacher of the Year” at her school (Northside Elementary), but she is the “Teacher of the Year” for our whole county. We are proud of her and the things she does for her students on a daily basis and the relationships she establishes. We are excited to have her as part of our crew and family here in DeKalb County,” said Director Cripps.

“Ms Ramsey is well deserving of this award,” said Northside Principal Angela Johnson. We are so proud of her and what she does every day within the classroom. She builds relationships and works hard from the time she comes in until the time she leaves and that is usually late. We are so proud of her, not only just getting the “Teacher of the Year” honor here for Northside but for the county and it is well deserved. She is precious and we are so proud,” said Principal Johnson.

Ramsey, whose duties include teaching 4th grade ELA (English, Language Arts) and Social Studies said she is excited to have been named both the Northside Elementary School Teacher of the year and the Overall DeKalb County School District Level Teacher of the Year.

“I am very excited. Its an honor,” said Ms. Ramsey. I have been teaching for 11 years and at Northside for 6 years. I believe its important to develop relationships with the students. My students are precious to me. They are great,” she said.

Prior to relocating to DeKalb County 6 years ago, Ramsey taught school in Texas and Kentucky. She and her husband Chad moved here when he became minister at the Smithville First Baptist Church. The couple have a son Cameron, a sophomore at DCHS and daughter Abby , a 6th grader at DeKalb Middle School

The other principals were equally as proud of their school-level teachers of the year.

Debi DePriest, the school level “Teacher of the Year” at DCHS, has been an educator at the high school for 29 years.

“Ms DePriest is an extremely hard-working teacher,” said DCHS Principal Bruce Curtis. “She has dedicated her life to the students and their education here. One thing I love about her is she has high expectations of her students, and they learn a lot in the government class under her. With social media out there, a lot of things written and said are not exactly true, but she makes sure students understand what is really going on with government, and how it operates,” said Principal Curtis.

Ms. DePriest said she is honored to have been chosen by her peers for the school level “Teacher of the Year” honor.

“I am overwhelmed. I don’t feel deserving of it because there are many more teachers here that do an awesome job, but I am thankful for it. Its humbling to know my colleagues voted me teacher at the school. I appreciate this very much,” she said.

DePriest added that she is especially grateful to her family for their support over the years.

“When I started teaching I was married to Mark Loring. He later passed away. The Lord then saw fit to bless me with another husband, Bob DePriest and both of those men have been a real support for me. Bob has been there for me and my strong arm through my sickness. I did have to miss school some when Mark was sick because his illness was so devastating but I am so thankful that the Lord saw fit to bless me so that I could come to school instead of being out through this sickness,” said DePriest.

Lori Hendrix is the school level Teacher of the Year at DeKalb Middle School. She teaches 8th grade American History. Lori is married to Bradley Hendrix and they have three children, Jailyn Bolding (nurse at Ascension Hospital) Jacob Hendrix (senior at DCHS) and Jon Hendrix (sophomore at DCHS).

DeKalb Middle School Principal Caleb Shehane said Ms. Hendrix is a special educator.

“Ms Hendrix is a huge asset to DeKalb Middle School. She has a way of captivating her students that really bring them in an engage them at a whole new level and because of her, students are better when they leave her classroom and that is what teaching is all about. Its about engaging students,” said Principal Shehane. “She has a way of building a rapport with kids and connecting with them on a social and emotional level as well as educational. She goes above and beyond not only for her students but all the students at DeKalb Middle School, so this is a much-deserved honor and this was voted on by her peers, so they see the same qualities I see in Ms Hendrix. She is a phenomenal teacher,” added Principal Shehane.

“I am deeply honored and grateful to be named “Teacher of the Year”, said Ms. Hendrix. “This recognition means the world to me, and I am humbled by the support of my colleagues, administration, students, and community. It is a privilege to be part of such a rewarding profession, and I am committed to continuing to inspire and empower my students to reach their fullest potential. Thank you for this incredible honor”.

A veteran teacher of 22 years, Hendrix has spent her entire career at DeKalb Middle School. “I am from Warren County and my intention was to teach at DMS one year and then transfer to Warren County to teach but once I started teaching here, I knew that this was where I was meant to be,” Ms. Hendrix continued.

“I teach 8th grade American History and love every minute of it. I started out teaching math and taught that for about 15 years,” Hendrix explained. “At that time all teachers had to teach two subjects, so I also had to teach one History class each day. I had the opportunity to switch to social studies several years ago and that is where my passion lies,” she said.

“One of the aspects I cherish most about teaching is the opportunity to inspire and empower students to unlock their potential. Witnessing the moment when a concept clicks, or seeing the spark of curiosity ignite in a student’s eyes is extremely rewarding,” added Ms. Hendrix.

Crystal Barnes is the school level “Teacher of the Year” at DeKalb West School.

“Its so exciting. Its awesome and feels great knowing that I am thought of in this way,” said Barnes.

This is Barnes’ 6th year of teaching 1st grade at DeKalb West School, and she comes from a family of educators. She has two sisters who teach including Morgan Oyster, the agriculture teacher at DCHS and Vickey Barrett, a 2nd grade educator at DeKalb West.

Barnes and her husband Brandon have been married for 6 years and they reside on a farm in the Belk community.

“Ms Barnes stands out among her peers and is just amazing for her students. She always looks to help her students in the best way possible every day. She puts in over 100% every day at work,” said DeKalb West Principal Sabrina Farler.

Misty Agee is the school level “Teacher of the Year” at Smithville Elementary School.

“I was very humbled to be selected by my peers as “Teacher of the Year”, ” said Ms. Agee. ” This is my 18th year teaching kindergarten here. I love teaching. Its my passion so its an honor to be recognized for the efforts I put into the classroom. Some of these children come in at the beginning and can’t even hold a pencil and when they leave, they can write their name and they can read. You see so much growth at the kindergarten level,” said Agee.

Misty and her husband Daniel have two sons, 9-year-old Cole and 8-month-old Hunter. Misty’s father is retired TWRA Officer Ben Franklin and her mother is retired educator Linda Franklin, who taught for 38 years.

“Misty is one of those teachers that sees the value of a relationship with the students. She goes above and beyond to really get to know her students personally. She is really able to connect to those kids and watch them grow as they learn every day,” said Smithville Elementary School Principal Anita Puckett.

“Our district’s Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors outstanding teachers in DeKalb County. We applaud teachers who care about our children, who devote their professional lives to enriching the lives of DeKalb students, and who demonstrate exceptional gains in student achievement. We are not just exceptionally proud of our Teachers of the Year, but we are also grateful for all of our educators in DeKalb County,” said Director Cripps.

Teachers of the Year are selected competitively through five cycles: Building, System, Field Service Core Center Region, Grand Division and State; and from three categories (levels of teaching); Grades Pre-K-4, 5-8, 9-12.

Teachers selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources. State recognition/awards include a banquet honoring the nine State Teacher of the Year finalists and certificates of appreciation from the governor. In addition, the State Finalists and the State Teacher of the Year receive cash awards.

March 20, 2024
By:

To recognize the service and sacrifices of local Confederate soldiers, the Savage Goodner Camp 1513 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is dedicating a memorial plaque to Confederate Veterans interred in the Mount Zion Cemetery, 6369 Lower Helton Road, Alexandria, Tennessee (adjacent to Mt. Zion Church).

The observance will be Thursday, April 11 at 6:00 p.m. A brief ceremony at the cemetery with military and civilian re-enactors will accompany the unveiling of a memorial sign containing the names of the Confederate Veterans buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery. Mike Corley from McMinnville will be the featured speaker. Mr. Corley is the Commander of the Savage Goodner Camp and is related to one of the Confederate Veterans buried in Mt. Zion.

The public and descendants of these men are invited to attend and witness this ceremony.

The Confederate Veterans being memorialized are:

Francis Wade Hobson, 2LT Co. A 7th Tenn. Inf.

Nathaniel Lemuel Corley, Pvt Co. F 24th Tenn. Inf.

Thomas Ford, Pvt. Co. C 2 nd Tenn. Cav.

March 19, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A woman was caught trespassing at a county convenience center (dumpster site) on Sunday when it was closed.

22-year-old Anna Danielle Skelton of Midway Road, Smithville is charged with aggravated criminal trespassing. Her bond is $1,500 and she will be in court April 4.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Sunday March 17 a deputy was summoned to Douglas Road, the site of the county’s convenience center (dumpsters) on McMinnville Highway due to a suspicious vehicle parked there. Upon arrival the officer found a black Chevy S-10 but no one was in the vehicle. After calling out for anyone there to come forward, two people, including Skelton walked out from behind a trash bin inside the convenience center (while it was closed). Both admitted to being on the property without permission. Skelton said she had removed a fence post to gain entry.

38-year-old Melinda Beth Murphy of Wade Street, Smithville is charged with simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana); possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver (heroin); and fabricating or tampering with evidence. Her court date is April 11, and she is under a $20,000 bond.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 16 a deputy pulled over a white Ninja motorcycle for failing to display a turn signal on South Congress Boulevard. After speaking to the operator, Murphy, the deputy asked for a background check through central dispatch and learned that Murphy was wanted in Smith County for failure to appear in court on drug charges. The officer placed Murphy under arrest and met with Smith County Sheriff’s Department deputies. As Murphy got out of the patrol car, the officer noticed that she held two baggies, one of which contained a white powdery substance believed to be heroin which weighed 0.40 grams. The other baggie held a green leafy substance thought to be marijuana which weighed 1.04 grams. Murphy also had in her possession three needles, a spoon with residue, and cotton bits. Later while being served with other active warrants, Murphy was asked if she had taken anything before going to jail. Murphy claimed she had swallowed some fentanyl to avoid being caught with it. After being taken to the hospital’s emergency room, Murphy admitted to staff that she had consumed three grams of fentanyl in powder form.

45-year-old Samuel Wade Walker of Adcock Cemetery Road is charged with driving on a revoked or suspended license and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $6,000 and he will make a court appearance April 4.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 16 a deputy pulled over a black Nissan Frontier on Sparta Highway near Evins Mill Road and spoke with the driver, Walker. A background check revealed that Walker’s driver license was suspended on February 29. While conducting an inventory of Walker’s vehicle, the deputy found a loaded syringe on the driver side sun visor.

38-year-old Joshua Lynn McCowan of Andrew Street, Smithville is charged with bringing contraband into a penal institution. His bond is $2,500 and he will make a court appearance April 11.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 16 while booking McCowan on other charges, a correctional officer found in McCowan’s wallet a small plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance. When asked, McCowan admitted that the substance was “bad meth” that he had scraped off a broken pipe. McCowan added that he had forgotten the substance was still in his wallet.

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