Herrick named North Central Region Teacher of the Year
December 14, 2009 - Rene Herrick, Wake County’s Teacher of the Year, has been named the North Central Regional Teacher of the Year and is now one of the teachers in the running for the North Carolina Teacher of the Year. Rene Herrick named 2009 North Central Regional Teacher of the Year and a finalist for State Teacher of the Year. |
 Rene Herrick congratulated by students for being named North Central Regional Teacher of the Year. |
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Herrick received the news in a surprise announcement at a holiday performance at Combs Magnet Elementary. When Principal Muriel Summers invited Herrick forward to be honored as the Wake County Teacher of the Year, the school’s fellow fourth-grade teachers sang her a song they had composed that included the line “Congratulations to the new North Central Regional Teacher of the Year.”
Herrick looked surprised. Then a backdrop behind the student singers was removed and out stepped current NC Teacher of the Year Jessica Garner, Superintendent Del Burns, Herrick’s husband and others. Behind them was a huge sign with the words: Congratulations Rene Herrick, North Central Regional Teacher of the Year. Students, parents and teachers cheered. A group of middle school students who Herrick had taught rushed into the room to give her hugs.
“I was completely surprised,” said Herrick. “I know that I am not the best teacher in North Carolina, but I have been chosen to represent a component of teaching that North Carolina deems as significant for all of our children. And for me, I believe that’s the personal touch, teaching the whole child and making sure that I acknowledge who they are, celebrate their gifts and help them to learn and to love learning.”
Herrick has been teaching for five years, the last three at Combs Magnet Elementary. She has been praised for her data-driven classroom instruction and for her active involvement in the lives of her students.
As Regional Teacher of the Year, Herrick will be honored in the spring at a Teacher of the Year Gala. She will receive:
- Total one time stipend of $5000
- Engraved plaque
- Opportunities to present and facilitate at local and state meetings/programs
- Financial support to attend one national professional conference
- The opportunity to attend a seminar at NCCAT, The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching
- Opportunities to have direct communication between state education leaders and policymakers
- Opportunities to promote the North Carolina Teacher of the Year network
- Support from Public Schools of North Carolina in sponsoring the Annual North Carolina Teacher of the Year Symposium/Celebration
- Opportunities to enhance the profession of teaching with substitute, travel and subsistence provided by the state
After the ceremony, Herrick was honored in a brief reception in the school’s media center.