Hamilton County Schools honors three Teachers of the Year

Hamilton County Schools’ Teachers of the Year posing with vehicles provided to them for a year by the Bowers Automotive Group (Photo by Hamilton County Schools)

A welder, a sixth-grade teacher who’s been on the job 14-years,  and a first-grade teacher who expanded a forest learning program are Hamilton County Schools’ three 2025 Teachers of the Year.

The district honored Red Bank Elementary School first-grade teacher Sally Warm, Normal Park Upper School sixth-grade teacher Jamie Petty, and Sequoyah High School welding instructor Candice Clark-Smith at Thursday’s school board meeting.

Red Bank Elementary School Principal Lindsey Hagan told spectators that Elementary School Teacher of the Year Sally Warm serves as her school’s first-grade team chair, the Literacy Now lead teacher, and as a member of the school’s guiding coalition helping shape school decisions.

She also expanded the school’s Pioneering Forest program to first-grade students.

“She leads with clarity and care, listening with empathy and humility. Even when she feels confident in her decisions, she seeks input from her colleagues because she knows that truly effective leadership is collective, and it is built on trust and integrity.,” said Hagan. “She uses her power as a teacher to truly empower her students and gives them the opportunity to run food drives in the community, meet with elected officials, and advocate for what they truly believe in.”

Normal Park Upper Principal Dr. Jamelie Johns followed, by commending the extended impact the district’s Middle School Teacher of the Year has made at her school. Jamie Petty has been teaching sixth-graders for 14 years at the school and Johns says both families and staff reached out to say no one is more deserving to be named Middle-School Teacher of the Year.

“He’s known for his ability to build relationships, to be a storyteller, and to be a steady and reflective teacher. When students are asked what they love about Mr. Petty, they shared how much he cares about them. That he helps them and that he takes them to new places to learn,” said Johns.

Sequoyah High School Principal Amy Myhand said welding instructor Candice Clark-Smith is an alumnus of her school and the High School Teacher of the Year actually discovered a love for welding in its halls.  Myhand says she hired Clark-Smith 8 years ago because after being impressed by the journeyman welder’s desire to impact students.

“She has been a mentor, a guide, and a driving force for the future of her students, our school, and our welding community,” said Myhand. “Her firsthand experience in the industry gives her a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the opportunities welding offers.”

Each teacher of the year will receive a $500 award and the use of a car for one year from Bowers Automotive Group.