Banquet to honor teachers

Although the winner won't receive a bouquet of roses or a tiara, a Columbia County educator will be crowned as the school system's new Teacher of the Year on Thursday.

The Teacher of the Year will be named at a banquet at the West Lake Country Club.

The Columbia County School Board also will recognize all 27 teachers chosen by each of the elementary, middle, high and special schools as their Teacher of the Year.

"Every school has excellent teachers, so you are chosen as the best of the best by your peers, and that's a real honor," county schools Assistant Superintendent Lauren Williams said.

In an August school board meeting, school officials announced the top five candidates for the system's Teacher of the Year.

They are Dealia Yancey, a third-grade teacher at Evans Elementary School; Deanne Murphy, a kindergarten teacher at Greenbrier Elementary School; Tara Hansen, a second-grade teacher at Stevens Creek Elementary School; Shaun Owen, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Greenbrier Middle School; and Karen Chase, a ninth- and 10th-grade English teacher at Lakeside High School.

Media Specialist of the Year Angela Dallis, of Greenbrier High School, also will be recognized at the event.

All biographical information courtesy of the Columbia County school system.