Lauren Marcincavage named Richmond County Schools’ 2021-2022 Beginning Teacher of the Year

Lauren Marcincavage, a kindergarten teacher at East Rockingham Elementary School, has been named Richmond County Schools’ 2021-2022 Beginning Teacher of the Year. She was recognized during the October school board meeting.

“I’m just honored to be a part of Richmond County Schools and to have a faculty that believes so much in me and that I get to inspire children every day and they inspire me as well,” she said of the recognition.

The Beginning Teacher of the Year recognition - an opportunity through the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) - was developed to honor beginning teachers and to retain teachers who show promise as excellent teachers and education leaders in North Carolina public schools and public charter schools.

Principals were asked to nominate a teacher from their school from a list of eligible beginning teachers. The nominees then held interviews at the district level.

According to East Rockingham Elementary Principal Jamie Greene, when Marcincavage began her teaching career during the COVID-19 pandemic, she knew that she would not only be a great teacher but one who would make a difference in the lives of the children she taught.

“Lauren’s passion for teaching radiates from her,” Greene exclaimed. “She is a reflective teacher and provides a detailed analysis of what she can do to improve student learning. She then adapts instructional practices within the classroom to make it happen. She has a gift of developing relationships with her students and their families. She celebrates their accomplishments and always goes the extra mile collaborating with support staff to meet the needs of her students."

“Lauren has such a sweet and loving spirit,” said Beginning Teacher Coordinator Tesha Isler. “She demonstrated precisely why she should be chosen as our district Beginning Teacher of the Year.”