Savannah-Chatham Schools names finalists for 2026 Teacher of the Year

As annual awards ceremonies and recognitions begin anew, one of the most noteworthy of the season is the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System annual Teacher of the Year reception.

The event, held at at the Woodville-Tompkins Technical and Career High School Auditorium on Wednesday evening, recognized 58 impactful teachers from across the school district. Among those educators, five were selected as finalists for the district’s 2026 District Teacher of the Year.

Applicants for the State Teacher of the Year submit essays, which are also read by community readers for district-level teacher of the year consideration.

Last year’s Teacher of the Year: Savannah-Chatham Schools announces 2025 Teacher of the Year

Meet the Five Finalists

The finalists named at Wednesday’s reception are:

• Jameson T Meadows of Godley Station K-8 School

• Christy Lynes of May Howard Elementary School

• Jennifer Hughes of Southwest Elementary School

• Kaleena Jedinak of Tybee Island Maritime Academy

• Brooklyn Howard of Windsor Forest High School

These teachers will move forward in the review process for the District Teacher of the Year, which, according to a press release from SCCPSS’s Public Information Manager Sheila Blanco, “includes classroom observations and panel interviews over the next month.” The winner will be announced at the district’s annual Teacher of the Year Gala, which is tentatively scheduled for March 2025.

The Teacher of the Year ultimately goes on to serve as leader of the professional senate and holds a seat alongside board members at the Savannah-Chatham County School Board meetings each month where they share updates from teacher and professional senate reports.

The district’s 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year was Cherie Goldman, who eventually went on to become the 2022 Georgia Teacher of the Year, who now leads SCCPSS’s literacy efforts as its Literacy Effectiveness Officer.

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: See who made the SCCPSS five finalists for 2026 Teacher of the Year