COLUMBIA, SC – The “In Our Schools” television program for April features the five finalists for 2008-09 South Carolina Teacher of the Year honors. The one-hour show airs at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 20 on South Carolina ETV.  “In Our Schools” is a special series designed for parents, educators and community partners and produced by ITV, which is part of the State Department of Education, with ETV’s assistance.

This edition features interesting interviews with the finalists about their teaching styles, changes and challenges in public education, and what has made each of them successful in their teaching career. 
       
The Teacher of the Year finalists are:

• Jenna Hallman, a science teacher at Calhoun Academy for the Arts in Anderson School District 5;
• Josie Stratton, an English teacher at Mayo High School for Math, Science and Technology in Darlington County;
• Renee Sanders, a biology teacher at Johnsonville High School in Florence School District 5;
• Laura Jean Reed, a music teacher at Stone Academy of Communications Arts in Greenville; and
• Rona Neely, a math teacher at Bell Street Middle School in Laurens School District 56.

The finalists were chosen in February by a panel of educators and private citizens with no connection to the State Department of Education.   The announcement of South Carolina’s 2008-09 Teacher of the Year will be made at a special banquet on April 25 in Columbia. 

During the next school year, that teacher will participate in a one-year residency program at the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA) and serve as a statewide ambassador for the profession, in addition to receiving a $25,000 cash award, a Dell laptop computer and a BMW Z-4 Roadster to use for the year.
   
The April 20 broadcast will be repeated April 24 and April 28 from 10:30–11:30 a.m. on ETV Channel 301 for taping by schools.