Distinguished Teacher Mentors
The Secondary Education Faculty recognizes outstanding local teachers on a biennial basis as UNA Distinguished Teacher Mentors. These teachers have consistently demonstrated excellence through their teaching, mentorship of pre-service teachers, and record of service to the Secondary Education program. Nominations originate from UNA preservice teachers and Secondary Faculty. Those selected for recognition from the list of nominees by the Secondary Education faculty are endorsed by the administration at their respective schools before being formally named as Distinguished Teacher Mentors.
Russell Belote
School: Hibbet Middle School
Department: Instrumental Music
Department: Instrumental Music
Shannon Clemmons
School: Rogers High School
Department: Social Studies
Department: Social Studies
Beth Ann Crow
School: Muscle Shoals High School
Department: English Language Arts
Department: English Language Arts
Susan DeArman
School: Russellville High School
Department: English Language Arts
Department: English Language Arts
Amanda Mathis
School: Muscle Shoals High School
Department: Social Studies
Department: Social Studies
Melody Murphy
School: Deshler Cereer Technical Center
Department: Business Marketing
Department: Business Marketing
Rachael Nelson
School: Florence High School
Department: Science
Department: Science
Alaina Pettus
School: Brooks High School
Department: Science
Department: Science
Daniel Seay
School: Muscle Shoals Middle School
Department: Band
Department: Band
Melissa Waddell
School: Muscle Shoals Middle School
Department: Science
Department: Science
Amanda Young
School: Wilson High School
Department: Social Studies
Department: Social Studies
Grace Anne Bonds
School: Muscle Shoals Middle School
Department: Math
Department: Math
Brad Chaney
School: Wilson High School
Department: Math
Department: Math
Andrew Franck
School: Sheffield Junior High School
Department: Social Studies
Honors: 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year, 2017 CSPAN Educator Conference, 2016 University of Alabama Excellence in Teaching Social Studies- Honorable Mention, 2016 Social Studies Council of Alabama Award- Honorable Mention, 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year- Saint Joseph
Department: Social Studies
Honors: 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year, 2017 CSPAN Educator Conference, 2016 University of Alabama Excellence in Teaching Social Studies- Honorable Mention, 2016 Social Studies Council of Alabama Award- Honorable Mention, 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year- Saint Joseph
Kevin Graham
School: Deshler Middle School
Department: English Language Arts
Department: English Language Arts
Nathan Haskew
School Awarded: Muscle Shoals Middle and High Schools
Current School: Albertville High School
Department: Music/Band
Department: Music/Band
Shelia Holland
School: Colbert County High School, retired 2019
Department: Family and Consumer Sciences
Honors: National Board Certification
Department: Family and Consumer Sciences
Honors: National Board Certification
Jason Hubbard
School: Central High School
Department: Social Studies
Department: Social Studies
Laura James
School: Colbert Heights High School
Department: English
Department: English
Matt Jones
School Awarded: Sheffield High School
Current School: Muscle Shoals Middle School
Department: Math
Current School: Muscle Shoals Middle School
Department: Math
Amanda King
School: Muscle Shoals Middle School
Department: Science
Department: Science
Sara Moore
School: Deshler Middle School
Department: English Language Arts
Department: English Language Arts
Jonathan Oakley
School: Central High School
Department: Social Science
Honors: Lauderdale County Schools- 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year
Department: Social Science
Honors: Lauderdale County Schools- 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year
Lorraine Perez
School: Russellville High School
Department: Science
Honors: Alabama Science Teachers Association- Secondary Science Teacher 2017, 2015 National Association Biology Teachers- Teacher of the Year, 2013 Siemens Stem Institute Fellow, 2013 FDA Food Science Fellow
Department: Science
Honors: Alabama Science Teachers Association- Secondary Science Teacher 2017, 2015 National Association Biology Teachers- Teacher of the Year, 2013 Siemens Stem Institute Fellow, 2013 FDA Food Science Fellow
Rebecca Pickle
School: Florence Freshman Center
Department: Social Studies
Department: Social Studies
Christina Porter
School: Muscle Shoals Middle School
Department: Science
Department: Science
Ryan Roberson
School: Brooks High School
Department: Social Studies
Department: Social Studies
Tina Simmons
School: Wilson High School
Department: English
Department: English
David Waters
School: Muscle Shoals Middle and High Schools
Department: Music/Band
Department: Music/Band
Many of the Distinguished Teacher Mentors serve on the Secondary Education advisory board. In this capacity, they help to shape the curriculum and clinical experiences experienced by preservice teachers.
The Distinguished Mentor Teachers work in a variety of diverse settings and are the master teachers that model excellence for candidates in the Secondary Education program. Similar to the teachers at the Kilby Laboratory School, these teachers often support clinical experiences associated with particular courses in the Secondary Education curriculum. They also mentor preservice teachers who need assistance in areas they perform particularly well (i.e. classroom management).