DELA CRUZ SELECTED AS QES TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Tonja Healey

JUN 07, 2023

Dr. Cisco Diaz, principal of Quitman Elementary School, recently announced that Mrs. Sandy dela Cruz had been selected as Teacher of the Year for Quitman Elementary. Dr. Diaz stated, “Mrs. dela Cruz is a teacher that has a smile on her face every single day.  She truly loves her students and sheds tears when a student moves away.  She is great at making her classroom a community where students show love and respect for each other.  

dela Cruz, a first grade teacher, earned an Associates degree in Criminal Justice from the Community College of the Air Force, a  Bachelor's of Science from Cazenovia College and Master Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix.  She has been teaching for six years in the Brooks County School District. 

Influenced by her own teachers, dela Cruz knew she wanted to be a teacher at the age of fourteen. Making sure all students are getting exactly what they need to be successful on their learning level is one of the most challenging aspects of the teaching process according to dela Cruz. “Watching students have the moments when the information just becomes clear is such a rewarding experience. That’s when they start to grow leaps and bounds. I am so proud of them when this starts to happen!” 

A first grade teacher, dela Cruz loves first graders because they keep life so interesting. “I think the best memories and sometimes the saddest are when the end of the year comes and the students tell me they don't want to leave my class! This fills my heart knowing I have given them enough love and taught them so many things.” stated dela Cruz.  Diaz added, :”She always has a positive attitude toward professional learning and strives to be a better teacher each and every day. She is a teacher that focuses on student growth whether little or big and celebrates student growth with her students on a regular basis.”

Mrs. dela Cruz and husband, Dan, are parents to their daughter, Aurora,  and son Liam. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, fishing, gardening, and making clay earrings. 

She will represent Quitman Elementary School for the 2023-2024 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 compete at the state level for the title of Georgia Teacher of the Year. The BCS Teacher of the Year will be named at the Teacher of the Year banquet hosted in the fall. 

Pictured with Mrs. dela Cruz is Hilda Miles, Assistant Principal, Dr. Cisco Diaz, Principal and Josh Price, Assistant Principal.