Jefferson Parish Schools named its district winners for the Louisiana Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year. The following teachers are now eligible to become the 2021 Louisiana Teacher of the Year. Teacher of the Year winners are:

• George Cox Elementary – Dorothy Shelton
• Meisler Middle – Dr. Deitra Bellamy
• West Jefferson High – Mary Carter

“Congratulations to each of these remarkable educators for the work they’re doing moving kids forward,” said JP Schools Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley. “They represent the very best among our many effective teachers. I’m proud to have them represent Jefferson Parish Schools at the state level.”

In partnership with Dream Teachers, the Louisiana Department of Education annually honors the state’s most exceptional educators through the Teacher of the Year program. The Louisiana Teacher of the Year awards program provides an opportunity to acknowledge those educators who are making exceptional gains with students.

JP Schools Elementary School Teacher of the Year Dorothy Shelton has been a teacher at George Cox Elementary since 2011. In all, she has been an educator for 30 years. A second grade teacher this school year, Shelton helped her students grow by 20% on their math and ELA benchmarks. Her English language learners grew 20% and her students with exceptionalities grew by around 30%.

“As an educator, I will continue to inspire and encourage students to grow intellectually,” said Shelton. “I must stimulate their curiosity and provide experiences to develop them into life-long learners.”

JP Schools Middle School Teacher of the Year Dr. Deitra Bellamy has been a teacher at Meisler Middle since 2017. Dr. Bellamy was a dentist before making the decision to change children’s lives as an educator. The 7th grade science teacher believes every child deserves an adult who believes in them and is passionate about providing all students with the opportunities they need to be successful. She feels that academic excellence begins by building relationships.

“Making the connection with my students starts each day with greeting the students with a smile, a fist bump, and a greeting,” said Dr. Bellamy. “That five second connection shows students that I care and that I am looking forward to seeing them every day.”

JP Schools High School Teacher of the Year Mary Carter has taught math at West Jefferson High since 1985. In all, she has been a teacher for 39 years, She sets high expectations for her kids and works to make sure all students receive the same opportunity to excel. Carter also creates a classroom culture where students feel supported and understood. Outside of her classroom responsibilities, Carter serves West Jefferson as a member of the Instructional Leadership Team, math department head, and athletics director.

“As an educator, I believe that every student has the capacity to learn,” said Carter. “Creating a classroom environment that stimulates students’ learning of mathematical theories, concepts, procedures, and their applications to real world contexts is paramount to achieving excellence. It is my desire to not only facilitate my students’ learning of mathematics, but to help them develop into confident and mature young adults.”