At Edgemont, we are pleased to announce an amazing teacher for “Teacher of the Year”.  This year’s winner is Jeneal Stoddard, a fourth grade teacher at our school.

Jeneal has been teaching at Edgemont for 4 years, but she has been a teacher for 34 years.  She uses that wealth of experience to make such a difference in the lives of her students.  It doesn’t matter where they are at, she knows how to get them where they need to go.  In fact, she has had experience teaching 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th grades with equal success.

Jeneal’s journey into teaching was remarkable in and of itself.  Jeneal was asked by a college professor to teach Spanish part-time at an elementary school.  This experience really impacted Jeneal and shaped her decision to be a teacher.  She also had a great example in her Grandmother who was a master teacher.  Jeneal said that her Grandmother could get anyone to read–even if others had given up on them.  Jeneal shows this same gift and determination.

Jeneal once wrote, “I have always loved helping students realize their potential, especially when they don’t realize how much they have.”  This reflection of resilience and growth mindset is evident in her classroom.  On the wall there is a beautiful quote from Shakespeare, “Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”

Jeneal Stoddard creates an environment in her classroom that allows students to take the risk that is involved in learning–that is why she is so successful and an excellent choice for Edgemont’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.  Congratulations Jeneal!