Culbreth `82 named Alabama Teacher of the Year
Suzanne Bishop Culbreth, a 1982 College of Education graduate, earned state Teacher of the Year honors during the 2012 Alabama Stars in Education Awards event.
Culbreth, a mathematics teacher from Spain Park High School near Birmingham, earned a science education degree from the College of Education. As Alabama's top teacher, she assumes the dual role of spokesperson and representative for Alabama educators. Alabama Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice, a 1977 College of Education graduate, announced the award near the end of Wednesday's live broadcast event.
"I am so proud to be an advocate for the classroom teacher," Culbreth said. "I'm very honored and humbled and thankful to my family and to my Spain Park High School family for supporting me."
Culbreth has been a faculty member at Spain Park since 2008 and previously taught at Oak Mountain High School frm 2002 to 2008. By earning the state Teacher of the Year award, Culbreth becomes a candidate for National Teacher of the Year.
"Her passion for mathematics and ability to bring its relevance to her students is a model of 21st Century STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education," Bice said. "She is a highly-respected teacher leader who, in any conversation I have ever had with her, always brings to focus what is right for students."
The Alabama Stars in Education Awards event is held annually and honors district finalists for the state's top teacher award. The Teacher of the Year award selection process begins with each school system nominating an elementary or secondary school teacher at the district level. One elementary and one secondary school teacher are selected from each of the Board of Education's eight districts. A selection committee chooses four teachers from the 16 district finalists to be interviewed for Alabama Teacher of the Year and Alternate Teacher of the Year.
Last Updated: May 10, 2012
