Meet your Teachers of the Year

Jay Watterworth
PHILIP SIMMONS HIGH SCHOOL

For Philip Simmons High School (PSHS) 10th grade social studies teacher and 2018 Teacher of the Year Jay Watterworth, a fourth-generation educator, education has always been an important part of his life.

“My grandfather was a superintendent in South Carolina and he was also the National Rural Education Association’s superintendent of the year,” said Watterworth in his Teacher of the Year application. “My uncle, aunt and mother were all teachers of the year as well. As you can see, education is highly prized in my family.”

His particular love for history stemmed from road trips with his grandfather when he was a child, Watterworth added. Today, he uses those memories as tools to amplify his classroom.

“My love for history probably started in an old Toyota with my grandfather,” said Watterworth in his application. “He took me on various trips all over the Southeast and would quiz me on world events, state capitals and the presidents of the United States. I enjoyed preparing for his questions and also enjoyed traveling with him. In fact, my love for travel has continued into my adult life and I have visited over 15 countries on three different continents. All of this allows me to enhance my lessons for students. Many of my travels have taken me to places that we discuss in class. I am able to show students photos of my travels and give them a more detailed perspective into the culture.”

In addition to teaching world history, Watterworth also sponsors and teaches a leadership program called “Renaissance” that focuses on building the nation’s future leaders.

“Myself and Dr. McLanahan sponsor the Renaissance program, which is an all-encompassing thing where we throw rallies and parties,” said Watterworth. “We recognize kids for attendance, behavior, academics.”

With Watterworth’s active involvement at the school, through both the Renaissance program and athletics, serving as the varsity volleyball and junior varsity soccer coach, both his students and colleagues have taken notice.

“Sometimes, people joke and say that I may have a cot here or that I never go home,” said Watterworth. “I’m fully invested in the school.”

Although his passion for education and his students is obvious through his full investment in various facets of the school, Watterworth explained that he was surprised to find out he had been nominated as Teacher of the Year.

“The other two that were in the top three with me are phenomenal teachers,” said Watterworth. “That’s all we have here. Since it was a new school, (Principal) Dr. Spencer was able to hire the best of the best. When everybody burst in my room, I was actually getting my kids ready for a test. They were just about to start and they came in. My parents were here because they told them before they told me. It was really cool.”

Meredith Fessenden
CAINHOY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Cainhoy Elementary School (CHES) first grade teacher and 2018 Teacher of the Year Meredith Fessenden has always had a gift for nurturing and teaching. Because of this, she explained, becoming an educator was always something she considered.

“Other fields I considered were nursing, veterinary medicine, and becoming a medical doctor,” said Fessenden in her Teacher of the Year application. “After reading a book in sixth grade about a talented teacher who worked with a girl that had cerebral palsy, I was taken in. Throughout my school days, I tutored in every subject, including home (economics), to mentally challenged students. I loved school and especially loved challenging teachers!”

For Fessenden, who currently works at a Title I school, being a teacher is much more than following a curriculum. Oftentimes, her students are having to deal with other pressures aside from academics.

“I truly care about each child in my classroom,” wrote Fessenden in her application. “I care about their academic needs as well as their whole person. Life at home, relationships, background, health, social skills, beliefs, and outside support, or lack thereof, all effect every student and how they approach education.”

Outside of the classroom, Fessenden is involved with various committees and teams within the school, a clear indication of her commitment to the wellbeing of her students and CHES as a whole.

“I am on the PBIS team,” said Fessenden. “I’m the primary representative for the Leadership Team. I’m a part of the Climate Committee. I’m on the School Improvement Council and the Title I committee. We’re working on making guided reading strong here. I’m also the lead mentor for the school.”

Perhaps her biggest passion, added Fessenden, is teaching her students how to read. Illiteracy is a bigger problem than most think. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Education found that 32 million adults in the United States could not read.

“For kids to be successful, they need to read,” said Fessenden. “Whether it’s to expand on their faith and learn about that, learn about world events or to be able to participate and be a contributing citizen to our country, it is essential to their success. That’s my passion.”

Fessenden’s commitment to her students is not unique to her, she continued. At CHES, every teacher is fully dedicated to the success of their students. Because of this, she was shocked to hear she was nominated as the school’s Teacher of the Year.

“I was very surprised,” she said. “I felt like it could have been any of us because we all work very hard here every single day…I think all children can learn and deserve our best every day. They are all gifts and it’s our future of this country. It’s our job to come prepared every day to give them every opportunity to succeed and to meet their different needs so that they can be successful.”

Rosemary Herold
PHILIP SIMMONS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Being the oldest of five children, media specialist and Philip Simmons Elementary School 2018 Teacher of the Year Rosemary Herold explained that her love for teaching began at the ripe age of five, as she would help her parents with her younger siblings.

“I remember as a child asking my father to ‘run copies’ for me of worksheets I had created to help my younger siblings with their math, sight words and history lessons,” said Herold in her Teacher of the Year application. “I often held class on our back porch with manipulatives and projects.”

As she grew older, her love for research and reading led her away from the classroom and into the library, she continued. But it was not until beginning her position at PSES in August of 2016 that she would have the unique opportunity to create a MakerSpace to utilize with her students.

“In graduate school I discovered just how perfect the library was for me,” continued Herold. “This has evolved over the years to include a MakerSpace and a very non-traditional way of teaching when compared to other library colleagues.”

Within this MakerSpace, Herold would coin a class known as “Genius Hour,” a hands-on program where a new group of students get the opportunity to take part in an innovative project each semester, she explained. During the fall, the students addressed the food desert that exists in the area surrounding the school. This semester, the students are addressing plastic pollution solutions.

“In the Genius Hour Project, a culture is created within the students and teachers that allows for free exploration of passions, failure and experimentation,” stated Herold. “To take risks within a safe, nurturing environment. To explore ideas, generate products, peer review and find value in the journey. Students augment their knowledge in many ways and also solidify both content skills as well as those soft skills necessary towards a productive work life after the educational path ends.”

With her creation of the innovative and, arguably revolutionary Genius Hour, which has been featured in the local news and at the International Society for Technology in Education Conference (ISTE) in 2017, along with her unique teaching philosophy, it is no surprise that her colleagues took notice.

“I think [I won] probably because I service everybody, the teachers and the kids,” said Herold. “I try to make this space a little different in that they can create or sort of follow their own path, as opposed to a prescribed path that they may or may not have the same liberties in a classroom…This is not your typical library. I think that the kids enjoy that and I think it’s a little infective. I’ve noticed with some of the classroom teachers that they’re starting to try new things.”

Jason McDermott
DANIEL ISLAND SCHOOL

As a student who always found learning to be a challenge, Daniel Island School sixth grade social studies teacher and 2018 Teacher of the Year Jason McDermott emphasized how important his teachers were to his success throughout his schooling. Today, as a teacher himself, he often refers back to these memories to draw inspiration.

“What made all the difference for me as I struggled through my schooling were teachers who made me feel I had the ability to succeed and instilled in me a desire to settle for nothing less than achieving my greatest potential,” said McDermott in his Teacher of the Year application. “As I go through this journey as a teacher myself, it is these teachers I look back upon with great admiration and hope to use many of their values and beliefs as I form my own philosophy of education.”

After being a teacher at DIS for six years, McDermott stated that he noticed that there was a lack of technology within the curriculum, both at the institution and district level. As a result, five years ago, he spearheaded and piloted a new technology program, which features a personalized learning approach for each student, within the school and the district.

“In my classroom, my students have the opportunity to explore and engage in active learning by completing STEAM challenges, project-based learning, and inquiry-based discussions,” continued McDermott. “These are utilized by exploring and incorporating technology through a Blended Classroom that uses a Flipped Classroom and personalized learning approach to allow for student choice. I believe engagement and innovation are the keys that unlock the passion in our students to become life-long learners.”

Because of his innovative addition to the curriculum, along with his love for his students, which is apparent from his active involvement within the school and community, his colleagues took notice, nominating and choosing him as this year’s Teacher of the Year.

“I was surprised,” said McDermott. “I’m honored to be picked by my peers as Teacher of the Year… I love it at DIS and love working with the students. I love the community and the school.”

Since first accepting the position at Daniel Island School 11 years ago, McDermott explained that he has found a home, both in the community and the school, for the first time in his life. Growing up with a father in the army, he never stayed in one location for very long.

“I was an army brat growing up,” said McDermott.” We moved every three years and moved all the time during high school. I’ve been here for 11 years and moved here on the island last year…I would say this is the first place I’ve been that I can call home.”

Wendy White
PHILIP SIMMONS MIDDLE SCHOOL

After going back to college at age 38 to become a marine biologist, or so she thought, Philip Simmons Middle School science teacher and 2018 Teacher of the Year Wendy White would soon find her true calling.

While taking a class at the University of North Carolina, one of White’s professors, Bob Macaluso, would light a fire in her, she explained, ultimately inspiring her to become a teacher and role model, just like he was to her. Because of her interest in nature and how the world worked, she would naturally be drawn to science. In 2007, at the age of 40, White graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in science.

“As I began taking my education courses, I was amazed at how many people disliked science,” said White in her 2018 Teacher of the Year application. “…Then it clicked. I need to be a science teacher and give kids the kind of involvement and exploration I had growing up. The more I looked into it, the answer became clear that their teachers were boring and ruined the experience for them. I was ready to change the world, and I knew exactly how to do it.”

After teaching in Charlotte for six years, White chose to go back to school again in 2013 to earn her master of arts in teaching and learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), she continued, making her a perfect candidate for the STEAM focused curriculum that many schools in the Charleston area utilize. In 2015, she relocated to Mt. Pleasant to work as the K-8 STEM coordinator at the East Cooper Montessori Charter School, but only for a year. When the job for a fifth grade science and social studies teacher opened up at PSMS in 2016, White jumped on the application and landed the job.

Since becoming a teacher at PSMS, White has made sure to envelope herself in many different extracurriculars within the school, she added. From creating the school’s award-winning Bottle Rocket Club to incorporating revolutionary vertical farming into the school’s Garden Club, White’s passion for her students, the school and the surrounding community is a step above.

“The Bottle Rocket club took first, second, third, fourth and fifth place and we’ve been challenged by the Citadel Cadets for next year,” said White. “It’s pretty cool. I also run the Garden Club. We’re building a brand new garden outside and got together with Tiger Corner Farms and we set up hydroponic tower gardens…We have one with vegetables, one with flowers, one with herbs and one with all different types of lettuce.”

Additionally, White organizes the school’s STEAM night, where companies from across the area, like Blackbaud, Boeing and Tiger Corner Farms, come to talk with students. As a way to further incorporate STEAM ideas in her classroom, each Friday the students take part in in a “STEAM day,” which gives students an opportunity to take part in fun and engaging engineering design challenges. This is no surprise, as her teaching philosophy involves hands-on, inquiry-based learning, she explained.

“I am basically trying to keep the kids engaged and keep them from getting bored,” said White. “I want to keep them wondering and tap into that natural curiosity.”

Although White was surprised she was named Teacher of the Year after only being in the district for two years, she explained that it was most likely this passion that landed her with the award.

“I was very excited,” said White. “It’s only my second year in Berkeley County, so it was a little shocking, but I try and do a lot of stuff in the school and with the kids.”