Andrew Hitchcock
Position: Physical Education Teacher/Softball Coach
School: Signal Mountain Middle High School
School District: Hamilton County Schools
City, State: Signal Mountain, TN
Support Andrew
Leave a comment
Music that Describes Andrew
Andrew Hitchcock was nominated by his colleague, Angi Donen.
Mr. Hitchcock is an unsung hero at his school. He is the true epitome of a LifeChanger, as he has impacted the lives of so many young people. It's evident that teaching isn't a job to him, but a true calling. Mr. Hitchcock finds ways to connect with all students, whether it's through physical activity, athletics, or his fun "conversation pieces."
"In my role of school counselor, there have been numerous times when students have expressed their fondness for Mr. Hitchcock," said Donen. "Throughout the year, we have spirit weeks where students and teachers are invited to dress up according to the theme for the day. This week happens to be Winter Week. For this week and other spirit weeks, Mr. Hitchcock goes all out! He adds details and props which serve as his 'conversation pieces.' The kids love it, and they see he is not afraid to be on their level. It adds light and humor to their day, and it provides a way for them to connect. Mr. Hitchcock always wins our faculty dress up contests!"
Even though physical education class can be thought of as dreadful for some students, Mr. Hitchcock teaches them about perseverance and a positive attitude. He bonds with students through "sMILEday," where the motto is, "We smile because we run the mile." He also uses his class to foster discussions about respect.
"Mr. Hitchcock reached out to me about ways to support students in the LGBTQIA+ community. He observed some students making hurtful comments and addressed it immediately," said Donen. "I was so impressed when listening in on his class conversation about respect. He is an ally who affirms all students."
Mr. Hitchcock also teaches an adaptive physical education class for students in the CDC classroom. He says this is his favorite class, and he has a passion for providing this therapeutic recreation to students with disabilities.
"I often see him in the morning greeting our CDC students as they unload the school buses. He sets the tone for the day with enthusiasm and positivity. Students and staff alike are positively impacted by Mr. Hitchcock," said Donen.
I get to work alongside Andrew everyday; we are co-teachers in Physical Education. I see a lot of the “behind the scenes” in Andrew’s daily work life, and his love for teaching and his students is evident in so much of what he does.
He pours his heart and soul into his Adapted PE class, and I admire the work he does with them so much. He strategically develops lessons that allow each student to achieve success, which in turn allows them to gain self-confidence.
He is also a great husband and father, so his influence isn’t just felt at school!
Coach Hitchcock is a life changer for sure, for so many of those around him, myself included!
Coach Hitchcock is a Hero. My daughter moved to TN during Covid which was really difficult. Not knowing anyone, in a new environment as a teenager in a time of fear and uncertainty when masks and social distancing where required. Her schedule placed her in PE. Back home, we would always opt out of PE and do more academic classes but this was different. As soon as she took his class she was gleeful. Coach Hitchcock brought her joy. No matter how rough her day was or what she was feeling / fighting internally, he always managed to cheer her up. To this day she still considers him her favorite teacher. Positivity and good influence is so important for teens - he is a true mentor and marvelous role model.
Coach Hitchcock is an awesome coach. He is funny, supportive, and so fun. He always has a positive attitude. He is always there to greet students in the morning when we walk in and if someone is having a bad day he can put a smile on their face. Keep it up and keep being awesome!!! :)????
Coach Hitchcock made PE and school just such a fun place to be and he always made me smile!
Congrats Mr.Hitchcock!!!!
Mr. Hitchcock is truly a person who can make someone's day better with just a smile. He is always attentive when you are speaking with him and cares even when it seems like no big deal. He always provides a safe space for students to have fun and be themselves when they are in his class. As a student, it is nice to know that you are safe in his class and it is always so fun with whatever we are doing even if it is sMile day. His positive attitude makes you want to be a better person and have a more enjoyable day. He really is a LifeChanger!
I didn’t have the greatest time in P.E last year, and I was ready for it to be over. But this year Coach Hitchcock really made P.E more fun and enjoyable for me, and he really is a truly great teacher.
I love coach Hitchcock!!! He is the best teacher ever. He is super funny and chill. He also teaches his class very well.
Thank you so much for making PE so fun for everyone this year! Whoever gets you is so lucky! You’re always kind and understanding and I hope that you win because you deserve it.
In the time in which I have had coach Hitchcock, I have seen him make an impact on so many students, including myself. He always has a positive attitude, and is always open to listen to what you have to say. There have been a few times where one student has or had been making a negative comment towards another person, and Coach Hitchcock always addresses this with those students. When someone is having a bad day he is there to listen, and give advice if that student needs it. Coach Hitchcock is a great example for students. Even if he may be having a bad day, he always keeps a positive attitude, and sets an example for other students. Overall Coach Hitchcock is an awesome teacher, who has had a positive impact on so many students lives!
Coach Hitchcock always makes my day whether it is a kind compliment or a smile! He is always very genuine and cares for his students. I could not imagine any other teacher more deserving of this title! His positive impact on our school and the lives of students is unmatched!
As Coach Hitchcock’s wife I don’t get to see him in the class room setting daily but I do get to hear the stories when he comes home. He truly cares for each and every student whether they are in his class or not. It’s truly a blessing to witness the difference he makes in these students lives.
I never even had Coach Hitchcock but he always comes in to wish our theatre class a great show and I have never spoken to a student of his that didn’t love him!
Coach Hitchcock is a great teacher who always radiates positivity. Being his student teacher, he is a great mentor to me and I enjoy being around him every day!
you're a cool pe teacher. Keep it up :)
Coach Hitchcock is an amazing PE teacher and just person in general. He is an amazing person to talk to and just such a funny guy. He would participate in sports with us and he dresses up for special days during school and is always there to put a smile on your face. Just the other day he gave me a compliment that put such a big smile on my face and made me feel good about myself. He truly is a Life Changer!
Coach Hitchcock is an amazing P.E. teacher and is a really fun person to be around!
Coach Hitchcock is a great PE teacher and can make anyone smile
Every time I had a class with him as my teacher, it was always a blast.
Andrew Hitchcock has been the best softball coach and mentor for my daughter! We adore him and his always pouring into these kids!
coach hitchcock is a great teacher, and i think he deserves this award; he has a great attitude and shows lots of positive energy while we're in class and overall he's just a good teacher :))
Coach Hitchcock is an amazing teacher and is very deserving of the "Life Changer Of the Year" title. He makes class fun by making us laugh, and even though I don't have him as a teacher he still tries to interact and bring joy to my day and others.
Coach Hitchcock is such a positive teacher, and you can tell he really enjoys teaching. The students adore him, and he is a wonderful asset to our school!
I am immensely proud of Andrew's reviews from colleagues & students from Signal Mountain Middle/High!!
I have known Andrew from his higher-education formative years at UTC. He is the type of Health & Physical Educator who impacts All students. Though he coaches softball (& maybe other sports), He is first & most importantly an educator. From the responses of many so far, Andrew Hitchcock is impressing young boys & girls at a most tender time in life.
As a Health & physical educator, he must care & teach to the mental, physical, social, emotional & other elements for a child's development. With that attitude, I applaud how he has sincerely flourished from his days at UTC into the consummate Educator who is considered a Life-Changer. We should all consider that outcome for all of our students!!!
You are such an inspirational teacher because you demonstrate the idea of "I don't teach PE, I teach kids!" It is obvious that you love what you do and care about every kid that you teach. I actually am learning from you, even though I have been teaching for 20 years.
Coach Hitchcock has been a ‘lifechanger’by leading our adaptive PE class and getting to know each of the students special interests and needs. He differentiates the class so that each student can have fun and be active in their own way!! He is one of the most positive and caring people I know and our school is blessed to have him. Thank you! ??
Mr. Hitchcock goes above and beyond for his students. My child had him in middle school. Even though my child is in high school now, Mr. Hitchcock has still be known to help my child through challenging situations. He is a wonderful teacher!
Mr. Hitchcock brings the fun to every spirit week! And I agree with Mrs. Whitney that he looks exactly like Ed Sheehan!!!
He always has a smile on his face and his positive attitude is a joy to work with every day.
Coach Hitchcock is amazing! He goes out of his way to make a positive connection with every student. He has formed a special connection with each student in the Exceptional Education program, many of them light up again when having a bad day once they see him, going to his adaptive P.E. class is the favorite part of many of these students week! He helps everyone feel welcomed and loved!
Coach Hitchcock is a huge asset to SMMHS! He always has a smile on his face and the students love him. He is an awesome softball coach and was encouraging, patient and boosted the girls confidence. He is very deserving of this award!
He sure does bring a smile to my face when he is decked out to the hilt for dress up days!
Could not happen to a more deserving person! I have never heard you complain, and you genuinely love every part of our job- and your enthusiasm and kindness are contagious!!
Coach Hitchcock has great energy and a fantastic attitude! I definitely see him as a life-changer!
Even though he has awful taste in music, he does everything else right. He goes above and beyond everyday for the students at SMMHS. Hard to believe he’ll be 40 on Saturday.
What an amazing teacher, and an even better person! A big thanks to Mr. Hitchcock for the positive role model he is and all that he does for our students, staff, and families! A LifeChanger indeed!
Mr. Hitchcock has made PE a great experience again for my son, and we are so appreciative of his commitment to his students.
My daughter adores Coach Hitchcock. I watch him in the morning drop off line greet one of the school’s very special students and he always has a big smile on his face and it totally changes that student’s mood the minute he sees him! Coach Hitchcock is such an asset to our school and students!
One of the best PE teachers a young girl could ask for, my daughter adores him as a softball coach and teacher! As she says “one of the best” out there !
Mr. Hitchcock has the kindest heart with a great sense of humor. Best PE teacher I’ve ever had! Thank you for the positivity you bring to school everyday.
Amazing relatable and funny teacher.
I guarantee that there isn’t a single person in the school that doesn’t appreciate Coach Hitchcock! His kindness is always a bright spot, and he’s one of those people who obviously loves what he does!
Thank you for being a great teacher
We absolutely adore and appreciate Coach Hitchcock! He is so hands-on with our students, helping every child stay engaged to their level of ability. If we need any accommodation, he’s there to make sure it happens and gives awesome suggestions in the process! Having him at SMMHS is a real game changer for our students. He makes every class fun and educational!
when i come to school every day he is all ways there with a smile. He makes sure everyone starts there day on a good note! i do not have him as a teacher but i have heard only good things about him!
The enthusiasm and caring you bring to your students everyday is an unmeasurable asset to this school. Thank you!
Mr Hitchcock makes every student feel special. The genuine commitment he has to all of his students is apparent when you see him in the gym or in the hallway. And his ability to relate to all of his students - of different ages and abilities- is unique. Mr Hitchcock has a greater impact on the lives of past and present students than anyone can measure.
Mr. Hitchcock is one of two male teachers that donate blood every single year despite his fear of needles. I think it's really awesome he makes that small sacrifice twice a year because he knows it could help someone in need.
Go Mr. Hitchcock! You'll always be a life changer in our arms.
I’ve seen Mr. Hitchcock in many adaptive PE classes and the way he interacts with these students is priceless. He is enthusiastic, affirming, and encouraging to students of all abilities.
Coach Hitchcock is an amazing teacher, very kind, and also funny. He is the best teacher that I've ever had! Coach Hitchcock sees the best in everyone and encourages them to do their best every day.
Even tho I haven't had Coach Hitchcock for P.E I have had him for softball. He is a fun guy to be around and is always positive. Thankyou for what you do for the school and others
I have had Coach Hitchcock for 3 years at Signal. He is always so funny and makes P.E a blast!
Coach Sheeran is a great teacher.
Mr. Hitchcock goes above and beyond to show and encourage school spirit! His friendly manner makes everyone feel valued.
Coach Hitchcock is an amazing PE teacher. He encourages everyone to try hard. He makes sure that everyone is included and having a good time. He is really good at being a teacher and doing his job while having a bunch of fun at the same time! He is a very enthusiastic person and very welcoming, who does a lot of great things for his students. He also does remind me of Ed Sheeran lol. Thank you for all you do Coach!
Andrew is not only a life changer for the students but also for his colleagues!! He is an amazing person!
This is my first year to have Coach Hitchcock as my P.E. teacher, and already he is amazing! I have heard many great things about him and I am glad that I get to be in his class.
Coach Hitchcock is an amazing teacher and coach I had him as my softball coach and he was always so supportive and kind but always made sure he had a balance of teaching. He changed the way I thought of teachers and let me know that I can talk to him whenever I needed him. And I can't even start with how cool he is as a P.E. teacher he encourages the student to try their hardest but to have fun.
Great coaching for the past year you have been very kind to everyone, And you have been encouraging everyone, and when you do things you always do it from the heart. And I hope you have a very great day
Both kids love you! Thanks for having a great attitude and loving what you do! It really shows through each day!
He is a great teacher! I have never met a single person who doesn’t love Coach Hitchcock. Good luck & congratulations!
What a great Guy Hitchcock is! Always positive and showing initiative in serving alongside factuality and staff to make a students day and journey through pressing times are so much brighter, better, and fun! Love this guy :)
Coach Hitchcock is a great coach and encorages everyone to do thier best. He makes P.E really fun
I had Mr. Hitchcock 2 years in a row for PE at Signal Mountain High School and my favorite thing about him is his perfect balance between his job as a teacher and making his students laugh and throughly enjoying his class. He has always made everyone feel welcome, especially new students, thank you for all that you do!
Mr. Hitchcock is fun and excellent at building relationships! My kids love going to his class and feel confident in trying new things because of him.
As someone who has had Mr. Hitchcock before, he set the atmosphere with positivity and no stress. I really appreciated, and still do appreciate, Mr. Hitchcock for the class he provided for me. Thank you again!
Thank you for being a good softball coach.
Although I do not have Mr. Hitchcock as a teacher, I have heard so many great things about him. Lots of my friends say that he is super fun and caring and just an incredible person in general. Thank you for everything you do for our school!
He is an amazing and caring coach and teacher! I was lucky to have coach hitchcock freshman year for PE and wellness. He helped us learn new material and was very kind while listening to our situations and answering questions. 2 years later, I still go back to his room to say hi and he is always so welcoming!
THE INFLUENCE OF A GOOD TEACHER CAN NEVER BE ERASED!!! Andrew Hitchcock, You continually inspire others to do their best. You help them set and strive to meet all kinds of goals, I found guidance, friendship, discipline and love, everything, in one person. You are changing lives! Proud of YOU!!
Coach- Thank you for everything you do for our students and colleagues and for brightening up our days :)!!
Mr. Hitchcock looks for and finds something positive in every student! No matter what he might be going through, his focus is on the students and lifting them up. He is an incredible teacher!
I love Coach Ed! (as my daughter calls him--he bears a striking resemblance to Ed Sheeran.) He is always happy and smiling, and he connects to his students and makes our school fun. I also have been an admirer of his commitment to helping one of our CDC students feel included with his siblings and the other students in the car line, and I admire not only his noticing this but also his doing something about it. He is a great guy, and I'm so happy he's at our school!
Mr. Hitchcock is not just supportive of the general education students. He is consistently the favorite of the Exceptional Education students because he is caring and encouraging, and he even helps the multi-handicapped students confined to wheelchairs get involved in is P.E. classes. He sees positive attributes in every students, and he helps foster a loving and supportive environment no matter who he is interacting with. Mr. Hitchcock truly loves the kids he works with, and he is clearly passionate about his job on a daily basis, inspiring the other teachers in turn. He is a teaching gem!
From the time I enter the building, when Mr. Hitchcock is either out guiding traffic or in greeting students and teachers, Mr. Hitchcock brings a smile to my face and all the faces that see his consistantly cheerful demeanor. I worked with him on a project for his family and I saw that the love he has for them, he shares at school.Many students have confided in me that he is their favorite teacher. They all said it is because he accepts each of them for who they are. He sees, knows, and loves each student!
Hats off to Mr. Hitchcock - a winner of a human being!
Mr. Hitchcock noticed a family was dropping off some siblings in the main car line, then turning the corner to drop of another student in the CDC line. Mr. Hitchcock approached the family about the routine and offered to help be there in the main car line so all siblings could enter school together. He has been there every day to assist, going above and beyond what is asked of him. Almost daily, Mr. Hitchcock finds a way to be an impact to students in our building. He brings a positive energy in the halls and always has the best interest of students in mind and at heart. I cannot speak enough about how wonderful it is to have a teacher like him in our building!
Coach Hitchcock has made the grandest impression on me and my children! Truly, he's an example of joy and commitment to his job, above and beyond expectations. He stepped up to offer accommodations for my son with special needs in his P.E. class and work on things when those needs were falling behind. This alone was enough to show me what kind of person he was. He doesn't have to but uses his time in the morning to help my son out of the car in regular car line so he walks to class and feels like part of the crowd. He has a way with his students that make him easily love and respect him. Coach Hitchcock is absolutely a LifeChanger! Just ask my son, Jack, who lights up every time he sees him along with my other children, too. As a former high school teacher, I know how much time and effort goes into teaching and building relationships with students. Coach Hitchcock knows how to do all of that seamlessly with the biggest heart of gold. What a gift to his school and definitely to our family!
I absolutely concur with this nomination! Every morning, Andrew waits in our middle school car line so he can help one of the CDC kids walk from the car to the CDC department. During the walk, Andrew is all smiles and so is the student. It makes this kid's day to spend this time with Andrew and it makes my day to watch them together.
My kids sure respect Coach Hitchcock! He makes PE fun for everyone.
Andrew is one of the most outstanding teachers I’ve ever seen! His commitment to the students goes beyond a love of kids - he truly wants to give them the skills to live a healthy happy life. He is particularly wonderful with one of our special needs students - he greets him at the door every morning and walks him all the way down to class. Last year this student was mostly confined to a chair or special walker. Words fail with tears of gratitude & pride overwhelming we who are blessed to work with “Coach Ed”.
When Andrew followed in my footsteps as a teacher, I knew he had a passion for working with kids. As a young man, he was always drawn to help others. As an athlete on the baseball field, he was not only an excellent player, more importantly, he was an encourager to everyone in the dugout and on the field. In high school he served as student body president and made sure everyone was included. He loved volunteering in the special education classes and made each student feel important. Andrew puts others first and has a heart of gold. He is an exceptional teacher!
