Burgess-Peterson teacher earns award

Atlanta Public Schools gave its Teacher of the Year award to a fourth-grade teacher at Burgess-Peterson Elementary School.

Tracey Pendley was announced as this year’s winner of the “District Excellence in Teaching Award” on Wednesday.

She’s taught fourth grade at Burgess-Peterson for four years.

“Tracey Pendley began teaching because she truly believes in the power of edu- cation to create choice-filled lives for our students, and she is deeply committed to ensuring educational equity for every child,” Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said in a written statement.

Pendley will now be in the running for Georgia’s Teacher of the Year award, announced in the spring.

Other finalists for the APS award were Dan Adam Lloyd, an 8th grade English teacher at Sutton Middle School, and Stephen Lawrence, an orchestra teacher at North Atlanta High School.

APS also recognized the following other award-win- ners on Wednesday:

■ Principal of the Year: Crystal Jones, Beecher Hills Elementary School

■ Assistant Principal of the Year: Barry Blackmon, Douglass High School

■ Students First Award: Azuree Walker, International Baccalaureate Specialist, West Manor Elementary School

■ Schools First Award: Marki Dixon, Senior Procurement Officer

■ GO Te a ms — Excel- lence in Leadership: Artesza Portee, principal, Sylvan Hills Middle School

■ 2018-19 Outstanding GO Team: North Atlanta High School GO Team

■ District Partner of the Year: Delta Air Lines

RAFTERMEN / APS Tracey Pendley, a fourth-grade teacher from BurgessPeterson Elementary School, was named Atlanta Public Schools Teacher of the Year on Wednesday.