Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2023
BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PAGE 3A
School
Teacher Spotlight: Stephanie Kinsey
Teacher of the Year Stephanie Kinsey and student Landen
McClure work together on an assignment.
This school year, Banks
County Schools launched a
new initiative to strengthen
student achievement in the
schools. The system will
spotlight several teachers
who demonstrate exception
al best practices and student
success.
The first Spotlight teach
er is Mrs. Stephanie Kinsey
from Banks County Middle
School.
Stephanie Kinsey, who
was recently chosen BCMS
Teacher of the Year, is an
exceptional educator who
uses various strategies to
encourage students to learn
and excel. She is devoted
to positively impacting her
students’ lives. Her love for
teaching and her students
inspires her to use innova
tive methods to stimulate
curiosity and promote life
long learning.
Principal Lisa Saxon at
BCMS describes her as “a
remarkable teacher who
significantly impacts all her
students. Her passion for
science is infectious, which
is evident in her enthusiastic
and engaging teaching style.
She goes the extra mile to
ensure that every student
understands the lessons
taught in her classroom.”
Kinsey currently teach
es eighth grade science at
BCMS.
Recently, she taught her
students a lesson on the pe
riodic table, and her unique
teaching methods made the
lesson memorable, interest
ing, and engaging for the
students.
Kinsey uses the Georgia
Standards of Excellence as
a framework for success
and sets high expectations
for her students in learning
and respecting others and
themselves.
Audrey Lusk and Zaylee
Thomas, eighth graders this
school year, were part of the
lesson.
“Mrs. Kinsey takes her
time to teach us; she gives
us short bursts of notes, and
then we learn the concept,”
Lusk said. “She makes
learning easy.”
Thomas added, “We also
do a lot of preview before
we actually do an assign
ment. That makes it a little
easier, and I feel more suc
cessful when I do the as
signment since we learned
everything beforehand.”
Kinsey also uses peer re
viewing and peer teaching/
reteaching to help students
understand content better.
She uses “hook” videos to
engage students and draw
them into wanting to learn
more about the subject.
“I try to provide opportu
nities for students to work
together in groups to review
and reinforce the materi
al they have learned,” she
said. “Many students enjoy
working together. It helps
them learn differently.”
Kinsey added that using
“verbal repetition and kill/
drill questions” helps tre
mendously in helping stu
dents learn important con
tent.
Another strategy that
Kinsey uses is the organiza
tion of class materials, such
as color-coding, highlight
ing, and using notebooks or
folders. She also gives stu
dents choices and options
in assignments, which helps
them feel more empowered
and motivated to learn.
In addition to her meth
ods of instruction, Kinsey
also incorporates technolo
gy-based practices, such as
IXL, Study Island, Hyper
docs, and Webquests. She
uses paper-based guided
notes and projects to help
students retain informa
tion. She provides students
with rubrics and models of
expectations (exemplars)
so they can compare then-
work and make necessary
changes.
To assess student learn
ing, Kinsey uses Mastery
connect Assessments (tests
and quizzes) and reports
data, study island reports,
content projects, one-on-
one and small group time
with the student(s), and
question and answer ses
sions (verbal).
To help students who
miss class time, Kinsey
posts class resources, in
cluding assignments and
note guides, in Google
Classroom. (Google Class
room is an online platform
where assignments, notes,
and grades are accessible to
students and parents).
Banks County Middle
School teachers partici
pate in weekly Profession
al Learning Communities
(PLCs), where teachers
share ideas about what is
successful in the school and
areas that need improve
ment. Kinsey actively par
ticipates in those meetings
and shares her strategies
with her peers.
The school also has a
School Improvement Plan
(SIP) that targets specific
areas for improvement, one
of which is student achieve
ment.
Kinsey believes the best
way to increase student
achievement is to provide
a comfortable and safe en
vironment for the students
to leam. She encourages
students to ask questions
and seek clarification when
unsure about a topic, which
helps students feel confident
and engaged in the learning
process.
“I believe that teaching is
a calling, and my students
inspire me to be a better
teacher and person,” she
said. “It is incredible when
my students have a “light
bulb moment” and become
proud of themselves. Seeing
them help another strug
gling student makes me
proud.”
Kinsey will be recog
nized at the Board of Edu
cation for the Teacher of the
Year banquet in November.
Kinsey is one of three other
teachers in the district who
will compete for District
Teacher of the Year.
Banks County Middle School student Jade Miley is shown
demonstrating his knowledge at the board.
BCMS students visit
North Georgia Tech
Banks County Middle School students participated in
Color Wars at North Georgia Technical College in Clark-
esville. Students were able to preview the academic pro
grams offered at NGTC based on their interests.
North Georgia Technical College offers a variety of pro
grams, such as medical tech, teaching, transportation, engi
neering, electrical, accounting, and agriculture.
Banks County Middle School students are shown on a field
trip to North Georgia Tech.
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FIRST GRADERS AT FARM DAY
Banks County Primary School first graders in Mrs. Hayley Nicholson’s class enjoyed learning
all about the animals and equipment used on farms at the Farm Day. The students ended the
event with a hay ride and popcorn.
FFA ATTENDS NOR TH REGION RALLY
Banks County FFA members attended the North Region Rally. The team met other members
across the state and participated in leadership lessons. The Banks County High School team
meets after school until 4:30 p.m. on FFA days. All students are welcome to join.
FFA MEMBERS
ADVANCE TO
STATE
Team members Logan Fer
guson, Levi Yentrice, Cate
Gilbert and Wayne Holcombe
advanced to the FFA state
contest held this December.
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