Educators throughout Richmond County gathered on Thursday to recognize the 2012-13 Teachers of the Year during the annual convocation ceremony at Cole Auditorium.
Among the crowded seats were State Representatives Ken Goodman and Garland Pierce, school board members and Richmond County Superintendent George Norris, along with Assistant Superintendents Cindy Goodman, Robert Beck and Jeff Maples.
Lulama Rozani, a teacher at East Rockingham Elementary School and Mineral Springs Elementary School, was honored as the system-wide Teacher of the Year for the 2012-13 school year.
Last year’s Teacher of the Year, Mark Burr, presented the award and referred to Rozani as “poised, fun and in control of her classroom,” a woman with a “quiet, can-do attitude.”
Rozani has taught in Richmond County for seven years, and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from the University of Pretoria in South Africa and an M.E.D. in Special Education at Elon University.
“I feel so small for this recognition,” Rozani said as she accepted her award. “I know who my real role-model and teacher is — it’s Jesus Christ … I want to thank all of the teachers for being such a great example and being so good at what they do.”
Rozani also received a one-year lease on a car, courtesy of Griffin Nissan.
The ceremony honored Teachers of the Year for all surrounding schools: Mary Joye Cundiff of Cordova School, Kelly Maree of Ellerbe Middle School, Pamela Thorpe of Fairview Heights Elementary, Sue Terry Wheeler of Hamlet Middle School, Jennifer Carraway of L.J. Bell Elementary, Deborah Carter of Leak Street High School, Kim Yates of Mineral Springs Elementary, Tara Allen of Monroe Avenue Elementary, Kathryn Cornett Ulrich of Richmond Early College High, Arthur Jackson of the Richmond County Ninth Grade Academy, Cherie Young of the Richmond County Transitional School, Jennifer Byrd of Richmond Senior High School, James Hudson of Rockingham Middle School, Jan Carriker of Rohanen Middle School, Nancy Freeman of Washington Street Elementary School and Christina B. Mabe of West Rockingham Elementary.
In addition, Theresa Gardner was recognized as the Richmond County Schools Assistant Principal of the Year and Wendy Kelly-Jordan was honored with Principal of the Year.
— Staff Writer Mallory Brown can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 18, or by email at mallorybrown@heartlandpublications.com.























