Inspiring Classrooms: Recognizing Our January A+ Educators
Spotlight on Success: This Month’s A+ Educator Award Recipients
Each month during the school year, Augusta County Public Schools proudly celebrates three remarkable educators through our A+ Educator Awards program. Nominated by their peers, these individuals are recognized for their unwavering dedication, innovative teaching, and profound impact on students. This month, we are excited to shine a spotlight on three outstanding teachers who truly represent the best in education.
Elementary Teacher of the Month: Cathy Youell
Cathy Youell is the Elementary Teacher of the Month for her exceptional dedication and significant impact as a teacher at WES.
Mrs. Youell, a retired teacher, paused her retirement to assist students after an unexpected position opened in the 5th grade this year. Over the past several years, she has completed many long-term substitute teaching assignments. For the last three years, she has worked with her current team of students as their classroom teacher.
Mrs. Youell has developed a dedicated time for community-building in her classroom, helping students establish a strong classroom community and sense of belonging. She is actively working to increase student stamina for learning throughout her content instruction. As young students develop their academic skills, stamina and sustained attention work to develop perseverance and deeper understanding. As she stepped back into the classroom, Mrs. Youell has done a "yeoman's job" of restarting the team, positioning the students for a productive remainder of the school year.
Her commitment to her students' success and well-being makes her a deserving candidate for this recognition.
Middle School Teacher of the Month: Amanda Marshall
Amanda Marshall has been a Family and Consumer Science Teacher at Stewart Middle School for many years. During that time, her program has proven very popular, with student demand exceeding what she can accommodate in enrollment. Her popularity is mainly due to her excellent ability to work with her students and provide meaningful activities for them. Amanda is a model in the classroom for using stations and differentiated instruction. Her systems are so well-designed that students come into class and get right to work with minimal direction. She has proven to be an excellent mentor for other teachers as well; modeling effective instruction and engaging activities.
Mrs. Marshall also has a strong FCCLA program with students participating in the state and even national FCCLA conventions.
She challenges her students to be creative in their projects. One of her capstone projects is the annual Cookie contest. Students create a themed display using classroom materials, then bake cookies decorated to match the theme. She has invited members of the school board and the community to judge the quality of the displays and cookies so the students can receive authentic feedback from a range of people. Amanda is well-deserving of being recognized as the Middle School Lingo teacher of the month.
High School Teacher of the Month: Matt Baraclough
Our High School Teacher of the Month is Mr. Matt Baraclough. Mr. Baraclough has been teaching band for over 30 years and began his career in Augusta County Public Schools in 1997. Often one of the first staff members students see each morning while serving on weapons detector duty, Matt sets a positive tone for the day with his humor and welcoming personality. He dedicates countless hours to ensuring our band students have a meaningful and successful experience, including preparing students each year for county, district, and state-level auditions and performances.
During Mr. Baraclough’s time at Wilson Memorial High School, the band program has grown into a consistently strong program, but the true legacy of his career lies in the impact he has had on individual students. He has mentored new teachers, student teachers, and practicum students. He also remains an active performer in the community, playing with various local groups including the Valley Wind Ensemble, a local group of music educators and professional musicians. Thousands of students and colleagues have been positively influenced by his guidance, and the continued growth of the program reflects that lasting impact. Matt’s genuine care for students and staff is evident daily and makes our school community stronger. We thank Mr. Baraclough for his dedication to the band programs of Augusta County Public Schools.
Join Us in Celebrating These Educators
Please join us in honoring these exceptional educators for their incredible contributions to Augusta County Public Schools. Their passion and commitment inspire us all and remind us of the lasting influence teachers have in shaping the future.
As part of our program, each honoree receives a $20 gift card to Chicano Boy in downtown Staunton —a small token of appreciation for the tremendous work they do every day.
If you have questions about your Lingo services, we’d love to talk with you. You can reach us at (540) 712-0300 or by emailing us at getservice@mgwnetworks.com.
