About Us » Teacher of the Year

Teacher of the Year

2022-2023
Eboni Rivera
Mitchell County Primary School Teacher of the Year
Eboni Rivera has been a teacher in the Mitchell County School System for four years.  She received her Bachelor’s degree from Bethune-Cookman University and Master’s degree from FE Riveraort Valley State University. Ms. Rivera stated “her heart has always belonged to bettering the lives of children, especially PreK children.”  Ms. Rivera insists that her greatest contribution is the “ability to lay the foundation and create a love for education for 22 children each day.”  She serves on the leadership team and is a mentor teacher. Rivera is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She believes that it is important to make the content relative to the student’s lives.  Her classroom learning environment promotes fun, growth, and a strong sense of family.   While the education of her students is important, Ms. Rivera places their mental health as a top priority as well.  She teaches her students strong social-emotional skills and how to use their voice in a positive way.  She has dedicated herself to her students, their families, and her community. 
2021-2022 MCSS Teacher of the Year and 
MCPS Teacher of the Year
Shunterra Lucy
Congratulations to Ms. Shunterra Lucy for being selected as the Mitchell County School System’s Teacher of the 
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 Superintendent of Instruction Ms. Christy Wray surprised Ms. Lucy in her classroom to give her the news.  Ms. Shunterra Lucy has worked at the primary school in the Mitchell County School System for the past nine years.  She began her career as a Kindergarten teacher and has now been a Grade Level Chairperson and Leadership Team Member for 5 years.  She received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree from Albany State University.   Ms. Lucy believes her greatest contribution “is bringing a pleasing, positive energy towards the school, followed by a commitment and willingness to collaborate with others…and a vision to enliven a child’s inner strengths, abilities, and talents through an enriching education.”  
 
To support her community, Ms. Lucy implemented the Star Student of the Week program, where a student participates in meaningful practices, engaging experiences, and community events throughout the year, to help prepare culturally and academic endeavors outside of school. Every school year, she ensures her students are active members in their community.  Ms. Lucy became a teacher because of the positive influence and encouragement of other amazing educators.  According to Ms. Lucy, “I did not choose teaching; it chose me.  This profession allows a person’s unique personality to evaluate the learning experience of a child.  Being a great educator takes a lot of things but courage, patience, compassion and heart are the main components of being an excellent educator.” According to Ms. Lucy, she is an outstanding teacher because she never loses sight of what she’s trying to accomplish.  She believes “we must find ways to drive the education field towards more rigorous standards and the first step is to raise the standards for ourselves.”  
Shalanda Quimbley
2019-2020 Mitchell County Primary School Teacher of the Year 
Shalanda Quimbley is driven to help students overcome barriers that impact their learning. Mrs. Quimbley has been a s
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pecial education teacher at Mitchell County Primary School for the past eight years.  She attended Mitchell-Baker High School and graduated in 1997. She continued her academic education at Albany State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and her Master’s Degree in Special Education. Later, she received her Specialist Degree in Special Education from Walden University.  She has taught in various classroom settings including co-teaching in special education inclusion classrooms and resource classrooms.  Mrs. Quimbley has served on various school improvement teams and is currently serving as team leader for the special education department at Mitchell County Primary School.  As a teacher, she has a profound impact on her students' lives forever.  She has witnessed as her students move on to the next level. As she thought back on the teachers she had when she was a child, she thought of the ones that had the greatest influence on her life.  Some teachers were positive and some were negative, but they all helped shape her perspective as a teacher today. Being a teacher is certainly one of the most challenging careers, but it is the most rewarding profession there is.  In choosing to become a teacher, she made a commitment to herself and her students to be the best academic, ethical, and personal role model she could be. Perhaps, her greatest contribution to teaching is sharing her knowledge, skills, strategies, and experiences with her students and families to inspire learning.  She believes in making learning fun and engaging for all students despite their challenges. Her biggest goal is for her students to be life-long learners. Mrs. Quimbley loves the quote by Solomon Ortiz, “Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.” Mrs. Quimbley feels as if she is here to ensure her students make their mark in the word with beautiful, colorful, and lasting ink.