IRMO –Schools from Lexington-Richland School District Five recently announced their 2025-26 Teachers of the Year & Support Employees of the Year.
Teacher of the Year winners from each school include: Kamela Oxner-West (Academy For Success), Leigh Carpenter (Adult Education), April Siders (Ballentine Elementary), Jessica Hidalgo (Center for Advanced Technical Studies), Nora Congialdi (Chapin Elementary), Brent Riley (Chapin High), Jennifer Goforth (Chapin Intermediate), Amanda Darlington (Chapin Middle), Yadira Curet-Toledo (CrossRoads Intermediate), Jennifer Tafel (Dutch Fork Elementary), Sarah Griffith (Dutch Fork High), Amanda Pifer (Dutch Fork Middle), Kimberly Flowers (FIVE), Mary Ellen Thompson (H. E. Corley Elementary), Julie Klemz (Harbison West Elementary), Hannah Pate (Irmo Elementary), Amy Mew (Irmo High), Ashley Evans (Irmo Middle), Charles McDonald (Lake Murray Elementary), Lacey Yeoman (Leaphart Elementary), Emily Satterfield (Nursery Road Elementary), Lucas White (Oak Pointe Elementary), Brooke Bridges (Piney Woods Elementary), Patti Norris (River Springs Elementary), Rehana Hakimji (Seven Oaks Elementary), and Lauren Brown (Spring Hill High).
Support Employee of the Year winners from each school include: Sonia Davenport (Academy For Success), Manisha Kanitkar (Adult Education), Bridgette Gause (Ballentine Elementary), Willie McIntee (Center for Advanced Technical Studies), Dawn Nirella (Chapin Elementary), Erin McKenna-Norris (Chapin High), Erika Heitman (Chapin Intermediate), Cher Kinsey (Chapin Middle), Jasmine Porterfield (CrossRoads Intermediate), Christopher Wilson (District Office), Shamone Chandler (Dutch Fork Elementary), Crystal Dorr (Dutch Fork High), Gary Chudd (Dutch Fork Middle), Leyla Wilcox (FIVE), Ashley Gross (H. E. Corley Elementary), Marlene Contreras (Harbison West Elementary), Angela Chambers (Irmo Elementary), Michelle McCoy (Irmo High), Maria Batista (Irmo Middle), Lance Ashby (Lake Murray Elementary), Morgan Cobb (Leaphart Elementary), Miranda Ahuja (Nursery Road Elementary), Cami Ruppe (Oak Pointe Elementary), Lacey Mealing (Piney Woods Elementary), Victoria McBride (River Springs Elementary), Larry Payne (Seven Oaks Elementary), Hannah Hess Kibbe (Spring Hill High), and Amy Wilkes (Transportation).
School District Five Superintendent Dr. Akil E. Ross, Sr. said, “School District Five is proud to recognize these outstanding educators and support employees. This is a dedicated group who represents the very best of our district and this profession as they serve students, families and the community. We congratulate and thank them for their outstanding service.”
