Pisgah teacher named county-wide Teacher of the Year

While this is the first time Wester has been named the county-wide Teacher of the Year, she was also selected as a Teacher of the Year nominee twice before for Canton Middle School.

“The Teacher of the Year nominations are selected based on individuals going beyond the daily expectations of the teaching profession,” Jenny Wood, Haywood County Schools executive director, explained. “They positively impact students, co-workers, and their community.”

Teacher of the Year candidates practice innovative teaching methods, display leadership inside and outside the classroom and actively participate in local organizations and initiatives.

Although Wester became teary-eyed after being surprised with the award earlier this month, her colleagues at Pisgah and in the EC department were not shocked by her county-wide recognition.

Pisgah High School Principal Clint Connor described Wester as a driving force for student success.

“Mrs. Wester is an asset not only to her department, but to our school and community as well,” Connor said. “Her professionalism and love for her students are very apparent in every lesson she teaches.”

The 2020 school year marks Wester’s fourth year at Pisgah High School. She currently teaches two English I classes, as well as a strategies class where she helps freshmen to seniors who need specific academic help.

Wester’s teaching techniques are about much more than academics. Her students are gaining valuable life skills to use long after leaving high school.

Aside from teaching 60 to 70 students per semester, Wester is also a case manager for 28 students.

As a case manager, Wester serves as a liaison between teachers and her students’ families. Wester also creates Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and monitors students’ progress from freshman to senior year.

Wester holds meetings with her students and their families several times a year to discuss their academic and life goals. She works with them to develop a plan to reach their goals whether it is going to college, starting a career directly after high school, or joining the military.

“I want to be that person that they can always call,” Wester said with a smile. “I’m rooted together with these kids for four years, so they really become my kids. I get to experience all of high school with them from first day of freshman year to their graduation.”

Many of Wester’s students keep in touch with her even after leaving high school.

Wester recalled a student who began freshman year as a struggling reader. After working with her for two years, the student’s reading skills drastically improved, and she surpassed her grade-level for reading.

After getting into a university and making the dean’s list her freshman year, the student returned to see Wester and thanked her for her help at Pisgah.

“She told me, ‘this is what reading has done for me,’” Wester said with a smile. “Seeing my students succeed and then come back to tell me about all their accomplishments is one of the greatest parts about teaching.”

While Wester takes enjoyment in her profession, she says there are still aspects of the job that make teaching difficult.

“Really, for me, the hardest part of teaching is not being able to fix the things that you can’t control,” she explained. “Although I can’t make all of my students’ problems go away, I always tell them that an education is a way to take themselves out of those bad situations. If you have that, you can do anything.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has also been an obstacle Wester never anticipated. During the past six months, veteran teachers like Wester have often felt like a first-year teacher.

Although the sounds may be muffled by finicky internet connections and delayed video times, Wester has worked tirelessly to ensure her students are engaged even at home.

“I place a huge emphasis on creating relationships with my students,” Wester explained. “Virtual learning makes it tough to establish those relationships, especially with my freshman students. Many of them don’t feel comfortable speaking up and asking for help online.”

For each class, Wester teaches in front of the computer for 45 minutes, and then remains online for an additional 45 minutes to answer questions and provide individual help to students.

Wester is looking forward to getting back in the classroom with her students on September 28 when Haywood County Schools implements Plan B, Option F of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Guidebook for Reopening Public Schools.

As students begin returning to campus, Wester said she is eager to spend time getting to know her freshman and seeing her older students.

“Since I get to spend four years with my students, it’s just such a thrill and privilege for me to see them enter our school as young, inexperienced freshman and leave their senior years making life decisions.”

As part of the Teacher of the Year award, Wester received a monetary award from Haywood County Schools and will be recognized again in the spring with an Evergreen Packaging award from the Haywood County Schools Foundation. She will also now be considered for the WNC Regional Teacher of the Year award.

Over the next year, Wester will act as an ambassador for teachers throughout the county and will serve on several district-wide committees.