Teacher of the Year - Lexington County School District One

Teacher of the Year, Cheryl Bartolotti

Lexington County School District One proudly named Oak Grove Elementary’s Cheryl Bartolotti its District Teacher of the Year at the annual Teacher of the Year Celebration, honoring outstanding teachers who exemplify a commitment and dedication to educating students. Ms. Bartolotti, a first grade teacher at OGES, now goes on to compete in next year’s state-level Teacher of the Year program.

Cheryl Bartolotti’s mentality is always, “If there’s a will, there's a way.” She believes all students can succeed when teachers are willing to go the extra mile to reach each one. With a contagious passion for learning, Ms. Bartolotti loves to watch her first grade students’ growth, by sharing ideas, offering words of encouragement and providing advice when needed.

An experienced educator, Ms. Bartolotti received a Bachelor of Arts in commercial recreation administration (2002) and in early childhood education (2006) from Kean University in New Jersey.

Meet the School-Level Teachers of the Year

Lexington County School District One’s 31 schools recently chose one certified educator to represent them in the district’s 2024–25 Teacher of the Year selection process.

This year’s honorees are Beechwood Middle’s Halee S. Munsch; Carolina Springs Elementary's Candice P. Elliott; Carolina Springs Middle's Sarah L. Kelly; Centerville Elementary's Jessica E. Sanders; Deerfield Elementary's Elizabeth T. Ancone; Forts Pond Elementary's Kelly Glover; Gilbert Elementary's C. Wade Hasty; Gilbert High's Kelsey M. Covell; Gilbert Middle's Natalie M. Lewis; Lake Murray Elementary's Mylisa D. Apperson; Lakeside Middle's Kristie Shelly; Lexington Elementary's Emily R. Fisher; Lexington High's Karen Kish Allen;Lexington Technology Center's Danielle V. Mize; Meadow Glen Elementary's Jean Cochran; Meadow Glen Middle's William Slechta; Midway Elementary's Katrinda W. Scott; New Providence Elementary's Haley H. LaMarche; Oak Grove Elementary's Elizabeth C. Koehler; Pelion Elementary's Lynn B. Dennis; Pelion High's Robert L. Arcovio; Pelion Middle's Andrew M. Chavarria; Pleasant Hill Elementary's Carlos A. Gonzalez; Pleasant Hill Middle's Jacqueline E. Anderson; Red Bank Elementary's Jennifer L. Binilla Chicas; River Bluff High's Julie Vandiver; Rocky Creek Elementary's Jennifer M. Ringo; Saxe Gotha Elementary's Donna Neisha A. Steele; White Knoll Elementary's Robin Reeves; White Knoll High's Allyson L. Stone; and White Knoll Middle's Jordan Henry.

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The Process

The district’s Teacher of the Year selection process begins in May when each school’s Teacher of the Year from the previous year and the principal explain the teacher selection process to all their certified employees.

Every school then puts together a ballot with a list of eligible certified staff to serve as Teacher of the Year, and the voting begins. In the first round, staff members select three names. In the second round, staff select from the top five finalists. Then, the teacher who receives the most votes becomes the school’s new Teacher of the Year and continues in the competition.

In July, school-level Teachers of the Year submit a written application responding to specific questions. This round uses four teams of judges to methodically and carefully review and score applications from all 31 school-level Teachers of the Year.

In January and February, another team of judges observes each school-level Teacher of the Year teaching in the classroom.

Each team uses a different rubric. There is one rubric for scoring the applications and another rubric for scoring the observation.

District TOY coordinators total the scores for application content and classroom observation for each school-level Teacher of the Year. The teacher with the highest overall total becomes District Teacher of the Year.

The Teacher of the Year process culminates at the annual Teacher of the Year Celebration, which celebrates all school-level Teachers of the Year and announces the new District Teacher of the Year.

The new District Teacher of the Year will represent Lexington One in next year’s state-level Teacher of the Year competition.

Mary Meech Mungo Award

In 2006, the Mungo family and Lexington District One entered into a partnership. That year, the Mungo family created the Mary Meech Mungo Award given to the Lexington County School District One District Teacher of the Year.

This annual $1,000 award pays tribute to excellence in education and the dedicated teachers who provide their students with a quality education that prepares them for a successful future.

Mary Meech Mungo graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1947. Although she began her studies in engineering, she finished with a degree in education. Mungo was a dedicated elementary teacher in Richland County School District One for many years.

Not only did she give back to her community through teaching young people, she was also an advocate for those with mental illness and a member of the Alston Wilkes Society.

A lifelong member of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, this dedicated wife, mother and teacher lost her battle with cancer in 1978.

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