MTSU education alumni wrap year leading awards in local school districts

Alumni from Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education made up a majority of this year’s Teacher of the Year winners in area Rutherford County and Murfreesboro City school districts. Education alumni were 36 of the 50 winners in Rutherford County Schools and 15 of the 27 winners in Murfreesboro City Schools. (MTSU graphic illustration by Stephanie Wagner)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Alumni from Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education made up a majority of this year’s Teacher of the Year winners for Rutherford County Schools and Murfreesboro City Schools.

Education alumni were 36 of the 50 winners in the county district and 15 of the 27 winners in the city system.

“I am proud that so many of our College of Education alumni are being recognized by their fellow teachers and students as Teachers of the Year, but I am not shocked,” said MTSU Education Dean Neporcha Cone. “This highlights our commitment to being the No. 1 provider of teachers across the state of Tennessee and the quality of our programs.

Dr. Neporcha Cone

“We are recognized by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation as the ‘gold standard’ for educator preparation…. We know that by graduating excellent teachers — as we like to say, ‘Raider Ready to Teach’ — they will positively impact the lives of students, families and communities all over Middle Tennessee.”

The winners from RCS include Corey Alley, Tera Atford, Missy Blissard, Sydney Buvvaji, Candice Carter, Hilary Clancy, Jennifer Cummins, Alexis Derryberry, Kimberly Gannon, Mindy Gannon, Eric Hoffman, Annette Holloway, Kenya Howse, Jillian Jackson, Ashley Johnson, Katie Jones, Ashley Lavoie, Cristy Martin, Andrea Martz, Emily Mitchell, Meagan Morris, Deborah Pack, Caroline Parker, Amy Penny, Emily Pittman, Jason Pitts, Natalie Ray, Alison Riebel, Ernest Rivas, Rachael Slough, Melanie Strickland, Julie Stump, Kyle Sykes, April Warren, Kristen Weaver and Brittany Willoughby Dixon.

The winners from MCS include Lydia Alexander, Kelsey Bond, Abbey Brown, Sasha Burnett, Rachel Cairo, Mary Dobbs, Brent Estes, Jessica Galligani, Kim Garrett, Shae Miga, Zena Mohsen, Elizabeth Owens, Kelsey Rone Curtis, Kayla Stephens and MaryBeth Young. Additionally, Quinena Bell was named Principal of the Year for the district.

‘Core values … passion … professionalism’

Missy Blissard has been a counselor at Oakland High School in Murfreesboro for 28 years and won both the school and district-level Teacher of the Year award in the grade 9 to 12 category for Rutherford County Schools.

Missy Blissard, an alumna of Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education, has been a counselor at Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn., for 28 years and recently won both the school and district-level Teacher of the Year award in the grade 9 to 12 category for Rutherford County Schools. Blissard was part of 36 of the 50 Teacher of the Year winners in the district who were MTSU education alumni. (Submitted photo)

“I was happy and embarrassed at the same time,” said the Hatley Mississippi, native. “It is an incredible feeling to be voted on by your building, but, at the same time, I work with so many people that are deserving of this recognition as well.”

Blissard, who graduated with her master’s in School Counseling in 1996, said the college instilled core values into her practice that she still uses today.

“I learned a great foundation of essential skills and knowledge partnered with extensive practicum experience,” Blissard said. “The college’s strength is its people — their passion for the program, their professionalism, their incredible knowledge and their leadership.”

Blissard also credited Tracey Huddleston, professor in the Department of Elementary and Special Education, as one of the major contributors her success, saying Huddleston “is why I am here.”

Brittany Willoughby Dixon capped off almost 13 years of teaching Spanish, the past four spent at Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro, with her Teacher of the Year award.

Brittany Willoughby Dixon, an alumna of Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education, wrapped up almost 13 years of teaching Spanish, the last four at Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro, Tenn., with a Teacher of the Year award for Rutherford County Schools. Dixon was part of 36 of the 50 Teacher of the Year winners in the district who were MTSU education alumni. (Submitted photo)

“It was surreal,” said Dixon, who is originally from Alexandria. “I genuinely had a difficult time believing that I had been selected because I work with such marvelously talented and hardworking people at Central. I am deeply appreciative of the honor, but I am no more deserving than the other educators in our building.”

Dixon earned her Master of Arts in Teaching Foreign Languages from MTSU in 2013 and said there were a number of lovely professors whose classes she enjoyed.

“It was undoubtedly Dr. Shelley Thomas that had the most direct impact on what I do in my classroom every day,” said Dixon about the founder and director of the university’s Center for Accredited Language Acquisition, also known as CALA. “She opened my eyes to the language-learning concept of ‘comprehensible input’ and provided me with the necessary resources and techniques to present Spanish to my students in a way that fosters lasting language acquisition, not short-term regurgitation.

“Without her influence, I likely would not have stayed in the education field.”

Learn more about the opportunities at the College of Education at https://education.mtsu.edu.

— Stephanie Wagner (Stephanie.Wagner@mtsu.edu)