Dooley, Stokes named Teacher, Staff Member of Year

Calhoun PreK announced this week that Lauren Dooley was picked as the 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year.

Dooley is in her third year as the Teal Turtles Lead Teacher. She graduated from the University of Georgia in May of 2017 with a degree in special education with a focus in birth through kindergarten. Officials say when stepping into Dooley’s classroom, it is evident that she loves her students as her own.

Her peers stated that, “Lauren is kindhearted, nurturing, and the epitome of compassionate. She sets high expectations for her students and helps each of them know that they CAN succeed. She is a leader within our building and within our system as she works in roles even outside of her classroom. She loves her students, and she loves them well!”

Dooley said that she grew up with three younger sisters and the most amazing parents who have always encouraged her to chase her dreams. She is married to Teigh Dooley, and they welcomed their first baby boy, Brooks, in December.

“Although I have a biological child now, I still refer to the students in my class as my ‘kids’ and they have taken up almost as much of my heart as sweet Brooks has. I always knew I wanted to work with children with special needs but was not sure how the Lord was going to use me to do that. When he led me to Calhoun back in 2017, I had no idea just how rewarding and meaningful this job would become to me,” Dooley said. “My goal each day is to be a positive and safe place for these precious kiddos to come learn and grow and for them to leave knowing they are SO loved! Even on the hard days I love this job and am forever grateful to Calhoun City Schools for providing me with a place that I can truly live out my passions as a teacher!”

Staff Member of the Year

Shea Stokes was selected by her peers as Calhoun Junior Jacket Academy/Pre-K as Staff Member of the Year for 2020-2021, the school system announced.

Stokes is the assistant teacher in the Red Dogs classroom at Calhoun PreK.

These are a few comments that the faculty and staff made in regards to Stokes: “It’s hard to put into words the impact Ms. Shea makes on our PreK program. She goes above and beyond to make everything fun for our students, and she’s a leader among her peers. She takes initiative and goes out of her way to serve both our faculty and our students.”