Educator named Region 1 Teacher of the Year

Photo courtesy of Chesterfield County Public Schools Virginia Region 1 Teacher of the Year Nicole Winter with Chesterfield Superintendent Marcus Newsome (left) and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Billy Cannaday Jr.

Students in Nicole Winter's history classes at Cosby High School are accustomed to community members coming in to share their experiences and information. But no one in last Wednesday's Advanced Placement class on U.S. history - not even Winter - was expecting State Superintendent of Public Instruction Billy Cannaday Jr. and Chesterfield Superintendent Marcus Newsome to walk in the door with flowers and balloons.

The superintendents were there to tell Winter she had been chosen as Virginia Region 1 Teacher of the Year, making her one of eight regional winners now in the running to become the 2009 Virginia Teacher of the Year.

"Nicole Winter helps students find their paths to success," Newsome said. "She epitomizes the knowledgeable, competent and committed employees who are making a difference throughout Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS)."

Winter is the eighth Chesterfield teacher in 12 years to be selected as the regional honoree. A National Board certified teacher who has taught for 16 years in CCPS, Winter believes in using community members as classroom resources and involving students with their community.

"Many of my history lessons involve community members and, as a result, my students have come to realize how rich in human resources their community is and how supportive the community is of our schools," she wrote recently.

Another supportive community Winter helped create is Cosby High's professional learning community focused on Creating Independence Through Student-Owned Strategies (CRISS). Project CRISS is a professional development program designed to help every student become an independent learner. Winter trained her Cosby High colleagues in Project CRISS over the summer and is a district trainer for the program.

She has taught at Cosby High since the school opened in September 2006. She taught at Manchester High from 1992 to 2006. Since 2003, she has also taught online classes through CCPS' Coordinated Studies Department.

Winter earned her bachelor's degree in history from the College of William and Mary and her master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Virginia.

In addition to Chesterfield, Region 1 in Virginia encompasses school systems in the counties of Charles City, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George, Surry and Sussex and the cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell.

Virginia's eight regional teachers of the year were selected from more than 100 candidates chosen by their school divisions. The candidates submitted portfolios highlighting their accomplishments, teaching philosophy and community involvement. A panel of representatives from professional groups and educational associations reviewed the portfolios and will interview each of the eight regional teachers of the year on Oct. 24 to select the 2009 Virginia Teacher of the Year. The winner will be announced that evening during a celebration in Richmond.