Pulaski County Schools announce teacher, employee and bus driver of year

By MIKE WILLIAMS

Patriot Publishing

At Tuesday evening’s May meeting of the school board, Pulaski County Public Schools named its top teachers, employee and bus driver for this school year.

Teachers of the year were – at the elementary level – Riverlawn Elementary’s Laura Fisher and – at the secondary level – Pulaski County High School’s Joan Thompson.

Fisher has been a special education teacher for 17 years – all but one of those at Riverlawn. She was described as “an outstanding teacher and case manager who develops positive relationships with her students and works diligently to understand how to best support their learning.”

Thompson teaches Dual Enrollment Calculus, Pre-Calculus and Advanced Algebra/Trigonometry at PCHS.

She is described as “the backbone of the Math department, consistently going above and beyond to ensure both her students and her colleagues succeed.”

The two county-wide winners were selected from a list of individual school teachers of the year. The other elementary school winners were: Jessica Barlow (Critzer), Tory Leahy (Dublin), Kara Etzel (Pulaski) and Mallory Copenhaver (Snowville). Josie Burcham was named teacher of the year at Pulaski County Middle School.

Rebecca Harriman, a Special Education Specialist at Pulaski County Middle School was named the school system’s Employee of the Year.

About Harriman it was said by her nominator, she “is truly the hardest worker and an exceptional choice for this recognition. She is beyond dedicated to the students and staff of our building, putting in countless hours to support everyone and keep things running smoothly. We truly could not function without her.”

“In addition to her incredible work in special education, she also drives a bus, prepares everything for night school and spends countless hours communicating with parents. She does an extraordinary amount of work with kindness, care and unwavering dedication.”

Harriman was selected from among Employee of the Year winners at each school. Those other winners were Tonya “yaya” Quesenberry (Critzer), Debra Boxall (Dublin), Tiffany Underwood (Pulaski), Carrie Love (Riverlawn), Ruth Smith (Snowville) and Austin McGuire (PCHS).

Dana Phillips was selected as the school system’s top bus driver for the year.

Phillips has been driving a school bus in the county for 34 years and has served the Hiwassee and Allisonia areas for 31.

“I know it gives the Hiwassee and Allisonia area comfort knowing that Dana is the one getting their students to and from school safely,” said School Superintendent Rob Graham.  “Dana has a wealth of experience and knowledge as well as excellent management skills which make her a great bus driver and perfect for a route such as hers.  Whether it’s curvy roads or excited children Dana always handles challenges perfectly and is a great example of what you would want out of a bus driver.  She is truly an asset to the community and school division and we hope she will give us another 34 years of service.”

Two others were singled out for recognition Tuesday night.

Chris Sklar was selected as the Outstanding Specialist in Region I of the Jobs for Virginia Graduates program. (See related story.)

Also, April Snyder, a librarian at PCHS was recognized for being the grand prize winner in the 2026 School Stars Contest held by SORA – the school system’s digital content provider.

Students were also winners Tuesday, as the One Bag Challenge Scholarship Essay and coloring contest winners were announced.

One Bag Challenge is the annual anti-litter campaign spearheaded by Board of Supervisors Chairman Laura Walters. Again this year Pulaski County Public Schools is also participating with the county on the challenge.

This year’s $1,000 scholarship winner is Amiah Miller, a senior at PCHS who also serves as the school board’s Student Representative.

Coloring contest winners were:

Kindergarten – 1st place: Nolan Hurd at CES; 2nd place: Samuel Kullos at DES

1st Grade – 1st place: Marrie Reeves at PES; 2nd place: Graycie Hill at PES

2nd Grade – 1st place: Emma Graham at DES; 2nd place: Yari Conner at RES

3rd Grade – 1st place: Jonathan Dejesus at CES; 2nd place:  Adalyn Dugg at CES

4th Grade – 1st place: Savannah Powell at PES; 2nd place: Kinsley Wade at CES

5th Grade – 1st place: Aurora Riddle at CES; 2nd place: Kiana Gillespie at CES

These students’ winning coloring contest entries will be published in future issues of The Patriot and Southwest Times.

Also, three people who have participated in the One Bag Challenge were chosen Tuesday in a random drawing to receive $100 gift cards. They are Landon Dunn, Cadence Jessie and Chris Brim.

Also, the school board received an update on Camp Ignite.

According to an earlier report by Tara Grant, Assistant School Superintendent, Camp Ignite is a free, two-week summer program designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and hands-on learning for rising first- through eighth-grade students across the division.

The camp will take place June 8–19, 2026, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is open to rising 1st through rising 8th grade students.

Enrollment for the camp is limited to 500 students to ensure a high-quality experience for all participants. Kim Sink and Melissa Poole reported Tuesday that the camp is nearly full with at least 474 students signed up so far to participate.

The program offers a unique learning experience in which students explore new ideas, build skills, and collaborate with peers in an engaging environment.

Unlike traditional summer programs, Camp Ignite focuses on active exploration and project-based learning. Students will participate in creative projects, engineering challenges, and enrichment opportunities designed to inspire curiosity and problem-solving — without worksheets or computers.

Each morning students will enjoy Splash & Swim sessions at Randolph Park, made possible through a partnership with Pulaski County Parks and Recreation. Afternoons will feature exciting hands-on learning experiences.

Elementary students will attend camp at Pulaski Elementary School, while middle school students will attend Pulaski County Middle School. Transportation will be provided.

Finally, Graham noted that next month’s school board meeting June 9 will feature a presentation on the possible removal of Chromebooks from kindergarten through second grade in an effort to reduce screen time for those youngest students.