School system names 2008 Teacher of the Year

Superintendent Marcus Newsome congratulates Cosby High School teacher Kerry Fretwell on being named the county's 2008 Teacher of the Year.

A funny bone, a wishbone and a backbone are essential in the classroom, according to Kerry Fretwell, Chesterfield County's 2008 Teacher of the Year.

"Combining a sense of humor, a hopeful attitude and a fierce sense of integrity has never failed me," explains the ninth-grade English teacher at Cosby High School. "I aim far beyond the benchmarks of standardized tests and, inevitably, students rise to meet my expectations." For example, every student in Fretwell's class for struggling readers advanced two to four years in reading level in just one semester.

She believes that making sure students feel connected to adults within their school is a vital part of education. Each year, Fretwell contacts each student's home to "convey my excitement about having the student in my class. ... I am continually amazed at how effective these brief phone calls are." She also shows her support for students - and motivates them to achieve at high levels - by attending their concerts and games.

"The smallest increments of time spent are returned exponentially throughout the year. Students will work for someone who cares about them," Fretwell writes in her Teacher of the Year essay.

"Every day, Kerry Fretwell demonstrates the four goals of our school system's Design for Excellence: academic excellence for all students, supportive learning environment, knowledgeable workforce and community investment," said Superintendent Marcus J. Newsome. "She is a wonderful role model."

Fretwell taught English at Providence Middle from 1999 to 2006 before joining Cosby in September 2006 for its initial year. At Cosby, in addition to teaching, she served as forensics coach, co-director of the school's

rst theatrical production and director of the spring production. She also served as an example instructor for the Johns Hopkins Strategic Reading Program, helped lead staff development sessions on a no-zero grading policy and helped develop the curriculum for the Health Science Specialty Center opening at Cosby this fall.

"Mrs. Fretwell has touched the lives of Cosby students, staff and the community in many positive ways this year," wrote the school's top eight administrators in a joint letter of recommendation. "She has taken the lead in many school activities while maintaining her classroom instructional excellence."

A graduate of the University of Virginia at Wise, Fretwell holds certifications in English, journalism, speech and theater arts.

Annually, every Chesterfield school selects a Teacher of the Year. Each will be honored in the fall at a gala sponsored by the Chesterfield Education Foundation.

A committee then chooses the countywide Teacher of the Year from those honorees. Chesterfield County Public Schools then submits its Teacher of the Year nomination to the Virginia Department of Education, which selects eight regional Teachers of the Year before choosing the state's Teacher of the Year from the regional winners.