Forsyth Schools Announces 2021 Teachers Of The Year Finalists

CUMMING, GA — Forsyth Schools announced its 2021 finalists for Teacher of the Year on Thursday, with three elementary teachers, and two middle and high.

Superintendent Jeff Bearden surprised seven teachers from seven different schools across Forsyth County Schools to announce that they are a finalist for Teacher of the Year. He and their administration made a special visit with flowers, balloons, and a masked smile to announce this special honor for each teacher.

The finalists were selected from among Teachers of the Year at each Forsyth County school, which were announced last September, after undergoing a written and classroom video observation. They will go before a committee comprised of community leaders and educators for interviews in late February. The winner will be announced at the school system’s “Celebration of Excellence” event on Friday, March 12, which will be virtual.

Below are the top seven finalists:

• Kim Sarfaty, Chestatee Elementary School
  • Kim Sarfaty teaches special education pre-K at Chestatee Elementary School. She
    received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. Sarfaty began teaching in 2000 and came to Forsyth County Schools in 2008.
• Allison Jones, Cumming Elementary School
  • Allison Jones is the SID/PID teacher at Cumming Elementary School. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Georgia and her master’s degree from Georgia Southern University. Jones’ teaching career began in Forsyth County Schools in 2017.
• Kristie Snape, Kelly Mill Elementary School
  • Kristie Snape is a modified curriculum autism teacher at Kelly Mill Elementary School. Snape received her bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and her master’s degree from Walden University. She started teaching in 2005 and joined the Forsyth County Schools family in 2011.
• Sandy Forman, Little Mill Middle School
  • Sandy Forman is a seventh-grade math teacher at Little Mill Middle School, where she began her teaching career in 2010. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, her master’s degree from Piedmont College, and her specialist’s degree from Piedmont College.
• Katie James, South Forsyth Middle School
  • Katie James teaches sixth grade English and Language Arts at South Forsyth Middle School. James received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and her master’s degree from Kennesaw State University. She began her teaching career in 1999 and joined the Forsyth County Schools family in 2016.
• Laura Adams, Denmark High School
  • Laura Adams is a CTAE (Teaching as a Profession pathway) teacher at Denmark High School. She received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Georgia. Adams began teaching is 2000 and came to Forsyth County Schools in 2017.
• Rachel Van Dyke, Lambert High School
  
  • Rachel Van Dyke is a skills -based autism teacher at Lambert High School, where she began her teaching career in 2018. She received her bachelor’s degree from Georgia College and State University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Arizona State University.