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he ADVANCE, August 25, 2021/Page 14A
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Wheeler County Welcomes New Teachers
By Andrea Towns
Wheeler County
School System is welcom
ing new staff members to
the team for the 2021-
2022 school year. With
varying experiences in
education, when asked
what their favorite aspects
of teaching were, their
answers were still very
similar: they enjoy build
ing positive relationships
with their students and
watching as they grasp
new, difficult concepts.
Drew Collins studied
at Brewton-Parker Col
lege and earned a Bach
elor of Arts in General
Studies as well as a minor
in coaching. This will be
his second year in educa
tion, and he will be teach
ing 8th grade Georgia
History. Witnessing the
“Aha” moments is his fa
vorite part about teaching.
“Watching children de
velop from a concept that
they may struggle with,
and see the child grasping
it,” he said.
Jane Defee received
her Bachelor's degree
from Valdosta State and
her Master's degree from
University of South Ala
bama, both of which are
in Speech Language Pa
thology. This will be her
27th year working as a
school Speech Language
Pathologist. Previously,
she has worked in Eman
uel County Schools and
Dublin City Schools. She
has also worked in Wheel
er County through RESA
(Regional Education Ser
vice Agency) for the past
14 years, on a part-time
basis. She will be provid
ing speech services for
Pre-K through high school
students. “I enjoy helping
my students improve their
communication skills,
and I love when my stu
dents become excited and
proud when they are able
to master their goals in
therapy,” she said.
Natalie Goins gradu
ated from Georgia Col
lege and State University
where she studied middle
grades education. She
has an Associate degree
in education and a Bach
elor’s degree in middle
grades education. She
also earned a Master’s
degree in curriculum and
instruction from Nova
Southeastern University.
She has been teaching
since she graduated from
college, and this will be
her 21st year in educa
tion. She will be teaching
4th grade Language Arts,
and she is “super excited
about teaching in Wheeler
County.” Cultivating posi
tive relationships with her
students is her favorite
part about her job. “Each
[student] is so different
and amazing in their own
way. I also love to see the
look on their faces when
they finally grasp a new
skill. It’s so awesome!”
Kristen Hartley at
tended Georgia College
and State University and
graduated with a Bach
elor of Science in Math
ematics. She is currently
working on a Master’s de
gree in teaching through
Georgia Southern Uni
versity. Though this will
be her first year teaching,
she worked as a tutor
for Georgia College and
State University’s Math
Emporium during her
undergraduate studies.
Ms. Hartley will be teach
ing math for 8th and 9th
grades. Though she isn’t
sure what she’ll love most
about teaching, based on
her experiences as a tu
tor, she enjoys “seeing
students be excited about
finally understanding a
difficult concept that they
were struggling with.”
Crystal Hughes has
a Bachelor’s degree from
Western Governors Uni
versity in elementary edu
cation. When asked about
any careers prior to teach
ing, she answered, “Mom.”
This will be her second
year in education, and she
will be teaching special
education. She said her
favorite parts about teach
ing are “the little "aha" mo
ments—those moments
when students either re
alize they have learned a
new skill or when they re
alize they have perfected
one.”
Will Johnson earned a
Bachelor of Arts in Politi
cal Science from Valdosta
State University. He has
spent the last four years
at Piedmont Academy
in Monticello, where he
taught high school Amer
ican Government, U.S.
History, and World His
tory. He will be teaching
World History for 9th and
10th grades, as well as 9th
grade American Govern
ment. He said his favorite
parts about teaching “are
being able to build posi
tive relationships with
students and seeing them
progress to reaching their
academic goals through
out the school year. The
educational process to
day demands a positive
and encouraging role
model for impressionable
students’ success. I am
thankful that the profes
sion of teaching gives me
this opportunity daily.”
Denise Lowery at
tended Mercer University
and received a Bachelor's
degree in early child
hood education. She also
has a Master's degree in
reading and literacy from
Walden University, and
she is certified to teach
special education. Prior
to teaching, she worked
as a cosmetologist. This
will be her 20th year in
education, and she will be
teaching Prekindergarten.
When asked what her fa
vorite part about teaching
was, she said: “The light in
a child's eyes when they
have learned something
l ”
new!
Melinda Moore has
a Bachelor of Science in
Social Sciences and Hu
man Services from Mercer
University. Prior to teach
ing, Ms. Moore served
her community in various
ways. She was the Volun
teer Services Manager/
Marketing Coordinator
for Big Brothers, Big Sis
ters. She worked at Fair-
view Park Hospital, and
the Shepherd Center. Ms.
Moore has also worked
as a substitute teacher for
both Dodge County and
Laurens County school
systems, and she worked
as a Special Education
Paraprofessional for West
Laurens Middle School.
In addition to teaching
this year, she also serves
as the Program Director
for the Boys and Girls
Club for both Laurens
and Johnson Counties.
After teaching in special
education for the last two
years under a lead teach
er’s supervision, this will
be her first year serving
as the lead teacher, and
she will be teaching 8th
grade English and Lan
guage Arts. “I live for the
moments when a student
who has been struggling
to understand finally gets
it!”
Brooke Nobles gradu
ated from Southeastern
Technical College with an
Associate of Applied Sci
ence in Clinical Labora
tory, and she has worked
as a medical laboratory
technician for the last four
years. This will be her first
year as a paraprofessional,
and she will be assisting in
special education studies.
Kelli McGlamry Rice
has a Bachelor of Sci
ence in Education from
Georgia Southern Univer
sity, as well as a Master’s
and a Specialist’s degree
from the University of
West Alabama, both in
school counseling. Prior
to teaching, she was the
director of a camp for un
derprivileged children in
Waycross. This will be her
26th year in education,
and she will be serving
as the elementary school
counselor. “I have always
loved the challenge of
meeting students where
they are and guiding them
into making better deci
sions to becoming happy,
healthy, successful adults,”
she said.
Jennifer Webb is cur
rently studying early
childhood and special ed
ucation at Middle Geor
gia State University, and
she will graduate in May
of 2022. This will be her
second year serving as a
paraprofessional. It will
also be her second year
as a student teacher. She
will be working as a pre
kindergarten paraprofes
sional. “My favorite part
about teaching is seeing
students finally get a con
cept they have struggled
with. I love seeing growth
in students,” she said.
Teresa White graduat
ed from Mercer Universi
ty and has a dual degree in
early childhood education
and special education. Pri
or to teaching, she worked
in the finance business,
medical field, and has per
formed clerical work. This
will be her 10th year in
education, and she will be
teaching 3rd grade science
and social studies. One
of her favorite aspects of
teaching is “watching the
lightbulbs come on when
a student grasps a new
concept or skill.”
Body Found in Woods Near
Alamo Identified as Man
Missing Since July 18
The Georgia Bureau
of Investigation has con
firmed the identity of a
body discovered near Ala
mo on August 9 as that of
a man reported missing on
July 18.
The victim was identi
fied as Kyle Harvey, 33, of
Alamo, GBI Special Agent
in Charge Lindsey Wilkes
of Eastman said Monday
morning. The cause of
death has not yet been de
termined pending the final
ization of an autopsy being
conducted at the state
Crime Lab.
Harvey’s body was
found in woods along Old
Glenwood Road a little less
than a mile outside of Ala
mo on Monday, August 9.
In previous weeks,
the Alamo Police Depart
ment and Wheeler Coun
ty Sheriff's Office were
searching for Harvey who
was last seen leaving his
mother’s home in Alamo.
Kyle Harvey
He was reported to have
mental health issues and
had not taken his medica
tion.
The investigation is ac
tive and ongoing with in
vestigators following leads.
If anyone has informa
tion regarding the inves
tigation, they are asked to
contact the GBI Eastman
office at 478-374-6988 or
Wheeler County Sheriff’s
Office 912-568-7151. Tips
can also be submitted by
calling 1-800-597-TIPS
(8477), online at https://
gbi.georgia.gov/submit-
tips-online, or by down
loading the See Something,
Send Something mobile
app.
Help us save lives.
Please get vaccinated.
Memorial Health Meadows Hospital is operating a
public vaccination clinic. To schedule a time to get a
free vaccination, please call (912) 535-SAFE (7233).
J Memorial leadows
r Health lospital