On Friday, May 16, several Marietta educators received large Teacher Empowerment stipends. Marietta is the only area school currently participating in the program.
The state-sponsored Teacher Empowerment program is designed to reward those teachers who are willing to go through an application process that requires them to reflect and evaluate themselves in several areas, including student growth, leadership responsibilities, professional development, collaboration and innovation, impact on school culture, and student engagement.
Participating teachers must be certified or adjunct instructors without administrative duties who have received an overall rating of highly effective or superior on their most recent evaluation.
Teachers must complete and submit a self-assessment portfolio along with supporting documentation and a teacher impact statement highlighting their influence on student learning, school culture, and their professional community.
The total cost of the stipends was $124,500, $90,000 of which was paid by the state. The rest was funded by the district.
“The state reimbursed for up to seven teachers to receive this award,” said Superintendent Brandi Naylor, “and as a district, we decided to fund the remainder of the cost of the stipend for all of our teachers who earned the award. At Marietta, we are always looking for ways to reward excellence in the classroom.”
There are three levels of the award – advanced, lead, and master – with different stipends attached to each level.
Receiving the advanced stipend of $4,500 was Stacey Roach.
Receiving the lead stipends of $7,500 were Ailey Self, Courtney Jackson, Kellie Burke, Shaylin Nutter, Jaime Hartin, and Karin Mathis.
Receiving the master level stipends of $15,000 were Sheri Willis, Courteney Starsick-Anderson, Erin Hansen, Tammy Blevins, and Danielle Neble.
To provide perspective, a $15,000 stipend would equate to more than ¼ of a year’s salary for a career teacher – close to half of a year’s salary for a beginning teacher, so these stipends are a big deal for professionals who, despite recent salary increases, are still earning well below the levels of most of their colleagues across the nation.
“I’m incredibly proud to lead our district in taking bold steps to invest in educators through these generous stipend awards,” said Naylor. “It’s not just a financial gesture. It’s a strong message that we value the dedication, talent, and tireless efforts of our teachers.
“These professionals go above and beyond every day to shape the minds and futures of our children, and it’s a great pleasure to see their excellence recognized in such a meaningful way. Thank you to all of our teachers who strive for growth and excellence. You truly inspire our entire community!”