News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Findlay Elementary School Principal Rebecca Ryan has been named one of nine finalists for the state’s Principal of the Year award.
Ryan said it is an honor being recognized as the nomination for the region.
“Some of the things I am most proud of is just our student attendance,” Ryan said. “Even amid the pandemic with COVID and quarantine and those kind of things, we still had excellent student attendance. Our teachers did a great job stepping up to the plate.”
Ryan was hired as a White County teacher in 2005 and has served as Findlay principal for four years. Ryan said seeing students grow and having an impact on the community is why she works in education.
“After being in White County for a while, I am getting to the point now that I have a lot of grown adults who I had in class at the high school and whose children are now attending Findlay and just getting to know the community and being a part of the community and feeling like I have some impact on so many student’s education and their lives and helping them be better citizens and productive members of our community, so just having that impact is the biggest benefit,” Ryan said.
Despite the challenges of a pandemic year, Ryan said the elementary school had a successful school year. Ryan said teachers adopted new ELA learning and provided daily instruction all while transitioning to a hybrid school format.
“It was an eventful school year,” Ryan said. “We moved into our new school building at Christmas of last school year, and then, shortly there after the pandemic hit, and we had to shut down in March. So we were only here for a few months. A couple of different challenges during that school year. (…) The teachers this past school have been fabulous. Teachers, students, parents and everybody. ”
The winner of the award will be announced at the Tennessee Principal and Supervisor of the Year Celebration this fall.
