Woodstock Educators Named 2026 Teachers of the Year
Teachers from local elementary, middle, and high schools advance to districtwide competition.
Woodstock Community News| Woodstock, GA
The Cherokee County School District (CCSD) announced its 2026 School Teachers of the Year on December 18, honoring educators selected by their peers at every school in the county. Among the winners are teachers from the Woodstock High School cluster and surrounding campuses who are now eligible for the districtwide title.
Local educators recognized for the 2026 school year include Marquita Hallman of Woodstock Elementary School, Kim Lestser of Woodstock Middle School, and Maisie Slomkowski of Woodstock High School. Winners were also named for nearby schools serving the community, including Jamison Piper at River Ridge High School, Ciarra Malto at Etowah High School, and Lisa Mann at Sequoyah High School.
According to the school district, these school-level winners will submit applications to be judged by a panel of retired educators and community partners. This process determines the overall CCSD 2026 Teacher of the Year, who will then represent the county in the Georgia Teacher of the Year competition.
All school-level winners will be honored this spring at the "Legacy Makers: CCSD Teachers of the Year Celebration," where the district winner will be announced. The event is presented by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, Credit Union of Georgia, Northside Hospital Cherokee, and Shottenkirk Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram of Canton. Businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities for the event can contact Penny Dempsey at penny.dempsey@cherokeek12.net or 770-479-1871.
