Dr. Cisco Diaz, Principal of Quitman Elementary School, recently announced Mrs.Lawren Hadden, 4th grade English Language Arts teacher, had been selected by her peers to serve as the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year. Diaz stated, “The main quality that our Teacher of the Year has is a strengthened sense of excellence and collaboration within teaching. She has the mindset that if she can change herself to be better then she knows she has a chance at inspiring greatness in others.”
A graduate of Valdosta State University, Hadden became a teacher because she has always loved working with others. She stated, “I love the "lightbulb moment" when a concept finally clicks for a student”. Hadden, an eighteen year veteran with four years as a BC Trojan, credits her childhood teachers for instilling a true love for learning and exploration in her. “The most rewarding aspect of teaching for me is the lasting relationships that I get to build with not just my students, but their families as well. I love that I get to continue to see my students grow and succeed in their lives. I tell my students on the first day of school, "You may only be my student for 180 days, but you will be my children until I am no longer living." I love when parents update me on what their child has accomplished or when I see former students and they update me on their life. It does my heart so much good knowing that I had a very small part in their lives.” said Hadden. However, teaching does not come without its challenges. “The most challenging aspect of teaching for me is feeling like I have adequately met the various and differing needs of all my students. Students don't come in a "one size fits all" or "cookie cutter" mold. There are many times that I have to meet their emotional needs long before I can ever meet their academic needs.It is my job to meet the students where they are and help them to grow. I always question if I did enough.” added Hadden.
Dr. Diaz said, “Mrs. Hadden knows every day that the future is right in front of her. She takes that very seriously while seeing the beauty within that responsibility. Every student that she teaches, she teaches as if they were her own child.”
Mrs. Hadden is married to Mitch and is mom to daughters Peyton, a 7th grader at Brooks County Middle School, and Bailee Grace, a 1st grader at Quitman Elementary. Her hobbies include reading, spending time at the pool, and spending time with her family.
Mrs. Hadden will represent Quitman Elementary for the 2022-2023 school year as Teacher of the Year and will compete at the district level for the title of Brooks County Schools Teacher of the Year. The BCS Teacher of the Year will be named at the Teacher of the Year banquet hosted in the fall.