Schools

Creekland's Lindsay Bowley is Cherokee's Teacher of the Year

Bowley was greeted with a surprise visit by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo to her classroom on Wednesday.

Creekland Middle School teacher Lindsay Bowley always looks to her mother as her inspiration when she thinks about her career. 

In her application to be considered as Georgia's 2014 Teacher of the Year, Bowley said she knew she wanted to be the type of teacher her mother was. 

That "fire for teaching," which she said started to burn as she came of age, was the spark that propelled the Cherokee County School District to tap her as its 2014 Teacher of the Year. 

Bowley was greeted with the honor on Wednesday with a surprise visit from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo, who presented her with a bouquet of flowers. 

While he has no role in choosing who the teacher of the year will be, Petruzielo said he is "pretty sure" Bowley would have been his choice based upon her application.

Bowley, he added, credits her mother for "awakening the spirit" in her to pursue teaching.

"She clearly has a calling for working with teenagers," he said, adding Bowley specifically has a calling for working with teen girls. 

In her application, Bowley proposed to the district that it consider providing additional training to educators to recognize the signs of sexual abuse in their students, a suggestion Petruzielo said the district will definitely explore.  

Creekland Principal Dr. Deborah Wiseman added teaching comes naturally for Bowley, and noted she is always thinking of her students. 

"She never gives up on any child," she said, adding Bowley never says she doesn't know how to get through to her students. "She's never had that attitude in the seven years she's been here." 

Bowley said she feels "very humbled" by the recognition, mostly because there are so "many great teachers" in the district.

"It's my job to do a good job," she added, referencing her profession. 
 
Bowley was named the school's teacher of the year in September, which made her a finalist for the countywide contest.

Along with teaching middle school children, Bowley also volunteers her time with Wellspring Living, a nonprofit organization that helps girls cope with the trauma of experiencing childhood sexual abuse.

She noted her profession allows her to come face to face with students who, through their school work, hint at what they are experiencing outside the classroom.

Each day is different, and Bowley said that's what she loves about her job. As an eighth grade teacher, Bowley said she her grade level is the "last ditch effort" to have a meaningful impact on how a middle school student will transform once they enter high school. 

She also said she take the time to communicate to her students that they are valuable, worthy and they do matter to her. 

"I love being able to communicate that to a child and see the child experience an adult say that to them for the first time," she added. 

She and other school level teachers of the year will be honored at a banquet held on Dec. 12 at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Conference Center in Canton.  

The banquet and the gifts that will be presented to the teachers during the event are funded by sponsorships from local businesses. The district-wide winner will go on to compete for the title of 2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year.  

Bowley, who graduated from Etowah High School and lives in Woodstock, has been teaching at Creekland for seven years and has taught Georgia history, language arts and social studies at the school. 

She received a bachelor's of science in middle grades education in 2007 from Kennesaw State University. She earned her masters of arts in middle grades language arts from Piedmont College in 2011. 

Along with volunteering with Wellspring Living, which was founded by her mother-in-law, Bowley is also involved in activities at Creekland, works with the Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project, volunteers at her church and recently traveled to India with husband Paul to work with women who are interested in teaching children. 

While she understands some of her students may not enjoy language arts or Georgia history, Bowley said she wants her students to at least walk away from her classroom well aware of their strengths. 

"If they leave me feeling they have found a strength that they didn't know they had, I feel like that's a success," she added.  

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