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ALABASTER – The Shelby County Board of Education recognized the school district’s 2020-2021 Teachers of the Year for each level at a meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at the Shelby County Instructional Services Center.

This year’s honorees are Calera Elementary School third-grade teacher Sara Patrick, Elementary School Teacher of the Year; Chelsea Middle School seventh-grade teacher Melanie Elliott, Middle School Teacher of the Year; and Career Technical Educational Center teacher Celia Dozier, High School Teacher of the Year.

A video highlighting each honoree with comments from colleagues and students played during the meeting.

Patrick currently teaches math and science at Calera Elementary. She has taught for six years, including a four-year stint at Calera Intermediate School.

She also works in the After School Care Program at CaIS, where she helped plan the Family Fun Night and the CaIS pageant.

In the video, Patrick was described as “amazing,” a “positive light,” “humble” and a teacher who cares about her students’ academic development.

Elliott teaches accelerated math at ChMS. She has worked with Shelby County Schools for 16 years, the past 10 of which have been at ChMS.

Elliott is the sponsor of the seventh-grade math team, the coordinator of the seventh-grade awards day and coordinator of the school mentors.

Elliott was described as someone who loves her students and knows how to challenge them while still making school an enjoyable experience.

Dozier teaches biomedical science at the CTEC. She has been teaching in Shelby County Schools for three years, two of which she spent teaching biology and forensics at Helena High School.

Dozier was described as “connective, creative and consistent,” and as someone who is extremely approachable and communicates well with everyone.

“Congratulations to all of our Teachers of the Year,” Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Lewis Brooks said. “We’re very proud of all of our teachers and excited they’re being recognized today.”

In other business, the BOE:

• Approved Sasha Baker as the new principal of Helena Intermediate School.
• Approved an $8,600 bid from Columbiana Tractor LLC for a riding mower for the school system’s maintenance department.
• Approved a tabulation of bids for new paving and repairs for six school locations: Chelsea High School, Helena High School, Vincent Elementary School, Vincent Middle High School, Linda Nolen Learning Center and Shelby County High School. Norris Paving and Asphalt Inc. was the lowest bidder at $1,706,700.