Foley recognized teachers and school supporters for their efforts to improve education in the city and Baldwin County.
The Foley City Council recognized area public school educators who were named teachers of the year for their schools.
At the May 4 meeting, the teachers from schools in the Foley feeder pattern also received state resolutions signed by Gov. Kay Ivey. State Rep. Frances Holk-Jones of Foley sponsored the state resolutions.
Teachers recognized included Angela Ingraham, Swift; Brandy Richard, Foley High; Kaitlyn Martin, Magnolia; Kerry Becton, Mathis; Michelle Dillon, Foley Middle and Amanda Welsh, Foley Elementary.
Each school in the district selects a Teacher of the Year, and from those honorees, a panel of judges chooses one elementary and one secondary educator to represent Baldwin County Public Schools.
Members of the Baldwin County Board of Education and Foley Education Advisory Committee also took part in the recognition event at Foley City Hall.
Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the city, local educators and school system work together to improve education in the area. The Foley City Council budgets $300,000 a year to be distributed to Foley schools. The funding is distributed through the FEAC. The Baldwin County Board of Education also matches the city funding.
“This committee works with our school board,” Hellmich said. “Our council helps support the schools to go to the next level. Each school has unique needs that other schools may not have. Our city works with the school board, and they provide part of the funding. This committee reviews the requests that each principal brings to help their school make progress so that these teachers may take advantage of it.”
Hellmich said city support and the work by teachers helped Foley area schools achieve their highest grade ever received on the state report card.
“Because of the efforts of these teachers and our principals in the room and the school board, because it’s all a team effort, our schools in Foley all achieved a B grade for the first time that I can remember,” Hellmich said.
In the last three years, Foley High School’s report card score increased 10 points, from 70 to 80. Foley Middle School’s score increased from 68 to 81. Mathis Elementary went from 79 to 83. Grades at Foley Elementary increased from 79 to 85. At Magnolia, the grades rose from 77 to 83. Swift grades went from 78 to 82.
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