Jordan Named District TOTY

NMHS' Jordan Named DCSS 2022-2023 TOTY
Posted on 09/27/2022

In a ballroom at the Douglasville Conference Center, surrounded by school leaders and 35 school level Teachers of the Year, Stan Jordan, special education teacher at New Manchester High School (NMHS), was named the Douglas County School System (DCSS) Teacher of the Year for 2022-23.

 

At the banquet, Tammy Odom, a Lithia Springs Elementary School special education teacher, was named Elementary School TOTY, and Bryant Hand, a seventh-grade teacher at Yeager Middle School, was named Middle School TOTY. 

 

Other semifinalists for district TOTY in addition to Jordan, Odom and Bryant were Karen Gorzynski of Bill Arp Elementary School, Nancy Cannon of Mason Creek Middle School and LaShawna Bryant of Lithia Springs High School. 

 

All 35 school level Teachers of the Year were introduced and received an award from Superintendent Trent North. In addition to the recognition from Superintendent North, business partners also showered the award-winning teachers with prizes and gift cards. 

 

Teacher of the Year Stan Jordan is a Douglas County School System success story. Jordan attended  Bill Arp, South Douglas Elementary and Fairplay Middle schools. After graduating from Alexander High School, Jordan attended the University of West Georgia and graduated with a degree in business administration. For nine years after that, he ran a tile and stone warehouse before deciding that teaching was his true calling. From there, he returned to the University of West Georgia to earn a Master’s degree in special education. 

 

Jordan with Trophy

At New Manchester, Jordan now serves students of all grade

levels as a co-teacher in algebra and world history classes. He is also the AU4 Autism Program teacher at NewManchester. 

 

“I told the parent of the first student I ever worked with, ‘The only way I know to do this is to treat him like he is mine.’  I believe I have made lifelong connections with my students, and my responsibility to them has no start or end date,” Jordan says.  

 

Jordan is married to NMHS history teacher Melissa Jordan. He credits Melissa for encouraging him to become an educator.  

 

During the TOTY judging process, judges were captivated by Jordan’s story of resilience and sacrifice. Judges remarked that his positive attitude and determination to help students succeed set him apart. One judge observed that Jordan had a unique perspective in educating students in the Program for Exceptional Children. Yet another added that Jordan has a solid investment with each student he teaches. 

 

“My goal is to help students find success and belonging inside and outside the classroom,” Jordan says. “I am obligated to help bring more awareness and understanding of various disabilities and how they affect students to continue fostering a safe, supportive learning environment for all.”

 

The 2022-23 Douglas County School System TOTY will represent Douglas County for the next year at various speaking engagements and will compete for Georgia’s 2022-23 Teacher of the Year. 


TOTY Finalists
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