Position: First Grade Teacher
School: North Coffee Elementary School
School District: Coffee County Schools
City, State: Manchester, TN
Cindy Gilliam was nominated by her principal, Adam Clark.
"Cindy has served as an educator for over 30 years," said Clark. "Most of those years have been spent at North Coffee as a first-grade teacher. Cindy embodies the qualities that all great educators possess. She is kind, compassionate, loving, and full of grace. She can also hold students accountable for the expectations she sets out for them. Often, Cindy will take a group of students who are unable to read and have no desire to read and turn them into kids who won't put a book down. She is never satisfied with her level of knowledge. She continues to study and seek professional development opportunities to better serve her students and make herself a better teacher. Relationships are at the core of her classroom and only help to make her more successful."
"She spends countless hours outside of school planning and preparing for lessons. She can give each child in her room exactly what they need," said Clark. "Cindy was also a huge part of our school's initial Trauma-Informed school implementation. Cindy Gilliam is a true life changer! She has impacted so many students in a way that goes well beyond academics."