In the CHS9 Library after school on Wednesday, one of the year’s biggest events is about to occur. Six nominees for Teacher of the Year, but who will win? Anticipation fills the air as CHS9 faculty wait for the announcement.
AP Human Geography teacher Haley McDuffee, one of the nominees sits in her chair getting ready to clap for someone else.
Then the video plays.
She won.
McDuffee sits in disbelief and from behind, her parents appear to surprise her.
“My mom is also a teacher and she understands the job and life and it was really nice having them support me,” McDuffee said.
McDuffee was chosen from six other nominees including English teacher Joy Han, business teacher David Janeski, Spanish teacher Miriam Romero Muller, special education teacher Cindy Silvestri and math teachers James Behlen and Micheal Wang.
To be nominated for Teacher of the Year, CHS9 faculty nominate their colleagues focusing on their hard work and special qualities. Afterwards, a committee consisting of teachers, staff, administrators and counselors review the nomination forms without seeing the names of the nominees.
”I was honestly excited to cheer on someone else,” McDuffee said. “I was really shocked and I felt honored being up against such great teachers and being chosen.”
Even before winning Teacher of the Year, McDuffee found CHS9 a second home and hopes to continue teaching there for a long time.
“I get to come to work, enjoy my job and enjoy the people I work with,” McDuffee said. “I always tell my kids ‘I am going to die here’ because I never want to leave and it is my family.”
AP Human Geography teacher Brittany Scruggs nominated McDuffee for her hard work and commitment to her students.
The subject is one of the first AP courses taken by freshmen. McDuffee finds many ways to make class fun while learning by using unique phrases.
“She always uses phrases in class like ‘popping out babies left and right’,” Scruggs said. “But, ultimately the students find it memorable and that is what makes her connection to students so strong.”
McDuffee does not just teach, she is learning new things in order to help her students to her best ability.
“McDuffee is the ultimate learner wanting to learn every detail. The attention to detail makes us all better,” Scruggs said. “It makes us think about things we normally wouldn’t have thought about.”
McDuffee supports her students to achieve challenging accomplishments.
“Just by talking to McDuffee for more than 10 seconds you see how much she is about the kids,” assistant principal Nathan Harvey said.
In addition to administrators, her students also feel engaged and find her class fun while learning everyday.
“Ms. McDuffee is such a kind and funny teacher who always brings great energy to the room,” freshman Rhea Ottenthengal said.
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