Five Richmond County School System (RCSS) teachers received surprising news on Friday, Aug. 9.
During the middle of teachers’ school day, Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Bradshaw announced the top finalists for the annual Teacher of the Year award.
This year’s finalists feature: Selema Clay from Deer Chase Elementary School; Beverly Franqui from Blythe Elementary School; Laquandra Staley from C.T. Walker Traditional Magnet School; Valarie Thomas from eSchool; and Juanita Walden from Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School (RCTCM).
Selema Clay is a gifted program teacher and a member of the Deer Chase Elementary School leadership team and has been an RCSS educator for 12 years. Clay is the vice president of the Deer Chase Elementary Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and leads one of the school’s professional learning clubs.
During her career, Clay has mentored several student teachers and received an i-Ready Growth Award in mathematics. Clay holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Paine College, a Master of Arts in education from Augusta University, and an Educational Specialist in advanced educational studies from Augusta University.
Currently, Clay is pursuing a doctoral degree at Augusta University.
Beverly Franqui is a fifth grade teacher at Blythe Elementary School who has worked in RCSS for her entire 20-year teaching career. Franqui is a four-time Teacher of the Year, who serves in several leadership and advisory roles in her school and community.
In addition to receiving multiple literacy awards throughout her career, Franqui has received an Outstanding Educator Award from the Richmond County Council of PTAs, an i-Ready Growth Award in reading.
Franqui earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education, a Master of Education in instruction, and endorsements from Augusta University for Gifted and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).
LaQuandra Staley is a second grade Gifted teacher at C.T. Walker Traditional Magnet School. Staley has been an educator for 20 years and has worked for RCSS for 12 years. She is also a member of C.T. Walker’s instructional leadership team and coaches of the school’s cheerleading team.
During her time with RCSS, she was named a Model Classroom Teacher by the Foundations Phonics program and received an i-Ready Growth Award for reading growth and proficiency.
Staley holds an associate’s degree in early childhood education from Augusta Technical College, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Argosy University, and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood Education from Augusta University.
Valarie Thomas taught social sciences at the former eSchool virtual program during the 2023-24 school year, where she was nominated for Teacher of the Year. Thomas is now a tenth and eleventh grade U.S. History teacher at the Academy of Richmond County. She has been an educator for 12 years and has worked with RCSS for five years.
Thomas was one of 60 teachers selected nationwide to attend the 2024 National Endowment for the Humanities Forever Wild Program. She also serves on the teacher advisory board for the National Museum for Civil and Human Rights, and received several teaching fellowships throughout her career.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Master of Arts in Acquisition and Contract Administration from the University of West Florida.
Juanita Walden is a Gifted-endorsed eighth grade physical science and ninth grade biology teacher at Richmond County Technical Career Magnet School (RCTCM). This is Walden’s eighth year as an educator and seventh year teaching for RCSS.
She is a co-sponsor of the Middle School Makers Club (STEM), an advisor to the freshman class, and received a Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Innovative Teaching Mini-Grant at RCTCM. Walden serves as the professional development chairperson for both the Georgia Association of Educators and the Richmond County branch organization.
Walden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching, and a specialist degree in Advanced Educational Studies from Augusta University.
The RCSS Teacher of the Year will be named during a banquet on Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center beginning at 7 p.m.
