Chapel Hill High's Kimberly Jones Wins District Teacher of the Year

Thursday is the final day of classes in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district for the academic year, but many educators received honors and awards on Monday night during the Annual Recognition Reception.

Among those celebrated was Kimberly Jones, an English teacher for Chapel Hill High School, who took home the district’s 2022-23 Teacher of the Year Honor. Jones, a 16-year teaching veteran, was chosen from the 17 Teachers of the Year from all CHCCS schools.

At the reception, Jones shared some heartfelt comments, saying the district is the first and only place she has ever taught.

“Every year I am so fortunate to be gifted with young minds to help shape and influence,” she said, “and as a humanities teacher, I firmly believe that what is past does not have to be prologue. Every day we have the power to change the future, to teach the struggles and the crises of our past, but more importantly to equip our young people to create a better and more just world.”

Congratulations to the newly named CHCCS Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Kimberly Jones of Chapel Hill High School! pic.twitter.com/ilmYDkCWGf

— Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (@chccs) June 7, 2022

As part of her prize, Jones received a $1,000 check from the Public School Foundation, a nonprofit to support the school district’s students and educators. Jones will also have a shot at earning the North Carolina Teacher of the Year award — something CHCCS’ Eugenia Floyd achieved in 2021.

Jones was also recently awarded the Bernadine Sullivan Chair for Excellence in Teaching High School English or Social Studies by the Public School Foundation. She spoke with 97.9 The Hill about the award and also shared more about her motivation to teach. She said in a district with highly-motivated students, she enjoys finding purpose in students learning things related to their lived experiences.

“I think that’s the beauty of the humanities,” Jones said. “It gives me a little more leeway to lean into what’s truly important to the young people I teach every day. What are their values, what are their beliefs? What do they see in the world, what do they want to do in the world? My ultimate goal is to empower them to pursue whatever future they want for themselves that’s productive, happy and whole.”

During the interview, Jones also revealed that she commutes each day to the district from Virginia.

“I got married a couple years ago, my husband is a Virginia guy,” said the Chapel Hill High School teacher. “I said, ‘I will move for love, but I will drive for my personal passions.’ And teaching and educating in this community are that important to me. The drive is worth it when you’re driving into a community that values education at this level — not just in word, but in action.”

Two additional educators were named as finalists at the ceremony: Jessica Clemente of FPG Bilingüe Elementary and Leigh Stratton-Sharp of Seawell Elementary, who each received a $500 check. Principal of the Year Aisha Howard and Assistant Principal of the Year Lucas Paulsen each were honored for the awards they won in May.

The full video of Monday’s Annual Recognition Reception can be found here. The full release of educators honored at the ceremony can be found on the CHCCS website.

Photo via Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.

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Chapel Hill High’s Kimberly Jones Wins District Teacher of the Year

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