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Florida A&M University alumna Charon L. Kirkland, a third-grade educator at Woodson Elementary School, has been named the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) 2008 Teacher of the Year.
Kirkland, the APS elementary school teacher of the year, was chosen for the system-wide title over Middle School Teacher of the Year Cheryl D. Parker of the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy and High School Teacher of the Year Korri M. Ellis of Grady High.
The three were honored at the annual Teachers of the Year Awards Ceremony held at Maynard Holbrook Jackson High School.
Kirkland began her teaching career in the APS system in 2001 at E. L. Connally Elementary School, where she won the Project GRAD Master Teacher Award for 2002. For two years, she served as a consistency management and cooperative discipline student cadre advisor, and served as the third-grade chairperson.
She moved to Woodson Elementary in 2005, where she served as a leadership team chairperson, cooperating teacher for student teachers, and mentor/coach to her peers, and has served as co-chair of the Positive Behavior System, a Girl Scout troop leader and a poetry coach.
Kirkland has received Employee of the Year and Keeper of the Vision awards.
She earned her B.S. in elementary education at FAMU, a master’s in urban teacher leadership from Georgia State University and an educational specialist degree in instructional technology from the University of West Georgia.
