Jefferson Parish Schools (JP Schools) named its district winners for the Louisiana Department of Education’s Teachers of the Year program. These individuals are now eligible to compete at the state-level to become the 2022 Louisiana Teacher of the Year.

This year’s honorees for JP Schools Teacher of the Year include: Erin Lyons, Emmett Gilbert School of Excellence at Ford; Kara Bailey Lee, A.C. Alexander School; and Sheena Dilworth, John Ehret High School.

In partnership with the Louisiana Association of Principals and Dream Teachers, the Louisiana Department of Education annually honors the state’s most exceptional educators through the Teacher of the Year program. The award recognizes those teachers whose work has made a significant impact on their school community.

JP Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year Erin Lyons is a fourth grade math teacher and technology coordinator. She has been an educator for over 10 years and has taught in JP Schools since 2016. Lyons is a member of a middle school girls mentoring program and is known for not only being an influential mentor to her students, but also an avid member of her community. In addition to coordinating her school’s positive behavior intervention and support programs, Lyons also attends her students' extracurricular activities as well as community forums to support a positive impact on her students.

JP Schools Middle School Teacher of the Year Kara Bailey Lee currently serves as a sixth and seventh grade math teacher at A.C. Alexander School. She has been an educator in JP Schools for five years and is an instrumental member of the school’s leadership team. While working at JP Schools, Lee’s students have shown academic growth on both LEAP and benchmark tests. Lee is passionate about meeting the diverse needs of her students, as she believes that this is the foundation for an equitable learning environment that allows students to reach their full potential.

JP Schools High School Teacher of the Year Sheena Dilworth has been an educator, Student Government Association sponsor, and coach for over 16 years. Dilworth is known for her positive impact on students through extracurricular involvement. Dilworth has a unique way of creating a strong sense of campus-wide camaraderie and leaves a lasting impression on students who participate in extracurricular activities. Dilworth has been recognized for her extracurricular work with students, as she has been awarded Coach of the Year, and Athletic Director of the Year in previous years.