Debbie Harris at Read Mountain Middle School is among the teachers in the running for one of this year’s McGlothlin Awards for Teaching Excellence.

Here’s the release from Blue Ridge PBS:

Twenty outstanding teachers from across the Blue Ridge region are still in the running for two $25,000 McGlothlin Awards for Teaching Excellence. These teachers, all selected as semi-finalists for the 12^th annual McGlothlin Awards, now begin the second phase of the awards program which will culminate April 12, 2011 at Radford University.

The awards program, now in its 12th year, was established by the McGlothlin Foundation based in Bristol, Va. Blue Ridge PBS administers the McGlothlin Awards. This is the first year  Dr. Rose Martin, the station’s education services director, has led the program. Martin has worked in many schools over the past 28 years, as a teacher, principal and superintendent.

“I am extremely impressed with quality of our applicants and the commitment to innovative teaching of this year’s McGlothlin Awards semifinalists,” she said. “The McGlothlin Awards are a great way to celebrate and recognize the best teachers in the Blue Ridge region.”

The McGlothlin Awards are among the largest teaching prizes in the U.S. They are given annually to exceptional educators from public schools in selected portions of Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky. Two teachers, one from grades K-5 and one from grades 6-12, are awarded $25,000 each, with the stipulation that $10,000 be used for international travel to broaden the thinking and experience of the winning teachers. Four finalists will also be recognized with a trophy and a check for $1,000.

The 2011 McGlothlin Awards semi-finalists in the elementary category are: Lisa Taylor, Belview Elementary, Montgomery County Schools, Va.; Lisa James, Narrows Elementary/Middle, Giles County Schools, Va.; Lisa Walden, High Point Elementary, Washington County Schools, Va.;

Marlena K Preston, Belview Elementary, Montgomery County Schools, Va.; Lucas Phillips, Spiller Elementary, Wythe County Schools, Va.; Malinda Morgan, Sandusky Elementary, Lynchburg City Schools, Va.; Peggy Goodson-Rochelle, John Adams Elementary, Kingsport City Schools, Tenn.; Catey Moretz, Oak Grove Elementary, Roanoke County Schools, Va.; Kristen McBride, Patrick Henry Elementary, Martinsville City Schools, Va.; and Lauri Gearhart, Preston Park Elementary, Roanoke City Schools, Va.

The 2011 McGlothlin Awards semi-finalists in the secondary category are: Steve Rapp, Linwood Holton Governor’s School, Washington County Schools, Va.; Barbara Manuel, Glade Spring Middle, Washington County Schools, Va.; Dina Linkenhoker, Staunton River Middle, Bedford County Schools, Va.; Teresa Brown, Haynesfield Elementary (6^th grade), Bristol City Schools, Tenn.; Susan Stanbery, Heritage High, Lynchburg City Schools, Va.; Debbie Harris, Read Mountain Middle, Botetourt County Schools, Va.; Susan Montgomery, The Gereau Center, Franklin County Schools, Va.; Mary Slone, South Floyd High, Floyd County Schools, Ky.; Liz Phillips, Wallace Middle, Washington County Schools, Va.; and Regina Donour, Letcher County Central High, Letcher County Schools, Ky.

“Every year I’m amazed at the skills, creativity and professionalism we find among teachers across the Blue Ridge PBS region,” said Thomas D. McGlothlin, President of the McGlothlin Foundation.

Adele Morris, the technology director for Craig County Public Schools, has been a McGlothlin Awards judge for many years. “The McGlothlin Awards are a fantastic opportunity for teachers to self-evaluate their craft, as they go through the submission process,” she said. “Any teacher making the semi-final round should be very proud of their accomplishments.”

In the next phase of judging, the semi-finalists must submit a standards-based lesson plan with a 20-minute video of themselves teaching the lesson in their classrooms. Judges will evaluate the teachers’ classroom instruction, classroom management, interaction with students, and, if possible, use of instructional technology such as computers, video, or digital cameras. Six finalists, three each at the elementary school level and secondary school level, will be notified in January 2010.

Further details about the McGlothlin Awards for Teaching Excellence are available by calling 888.332.7788 or visiting the BlueRidgePBS.org. This web site also has information about other Blue Ridge PBS education services, including instructional broadcasts, extensive online resources, special projects and professional development for teachers.

About the McGlothlin Foundation

Beginning in a farmhouse nestled in the mountains of Buchanan County, Va., the McGlothlin family was sustained in their early years through farming and coal mining. As their success grew, the family business became involved in oil, gas, real estate and financial services. The McGlothlin Foundation was created in 1998 to support worthy causes in higher education, health care, and the arts in southwest Virginia, West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and northeast Tennessee.

About Blue Ridge PBS

Blue Ridge PBS is the 2010 winner of the regional Emmy Award for community service broadcasting. The winning production, “JobQuest,” exemplifies how the station is able to address the history, arts, culture, educational needs and economic health of an entire region. Founded in 1967, Blue Ridge PBS is the sole public multimedia enterprise serving 4 million individuals in portions of five states. The station’s 26,000 square-mile coverage area includes southwestern Virginia and bordering counties in Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina. As the region’s storyteller and a locally owned entity, Blue Ridge PBS pursues stories and issues that speak directly to viewers. Further, 200,000 schoolchildren and their teachers benefit from the station’s education services that provide a safe, trusted environment for innovative on-air and online learning. Blue Ridge PBS is comprised of WBRA-TV/DT in Roanoke, WSBN-TV/DT in Norton, and WMSY-TV/DT in Marion, Va. www.BlueRidgePBS.org