LEXINGTON, S.C. — Lexington County School District One proudly named Deerfield Elementary’s Elizabeth (Beth) T. Ancone its District Teacher of the Year at the annual Teacher of the Year Celebration, honoring outstanding teachers who exemplify a commitment and dedication to educating students. Ancone, a special education teacher, now goes on to compete in next year’s state-level Teacher of the Year program.
The district’s Teacher of the Year celebration was held on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 6:30 P.M. at the Performing Arts Center at River Bluff High School.
Ancone empowers her students with disabilities to defy expectations and strives to create a dynamic, adaptable classroom where every student’s milestone and accomplishment, no matter how small, is celebrated as a testament to their potential. An educator for 21 years, Ancone earned a Bachelor of Science in exercise science with an emphasis in motor development from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Arts in Teaching in special education from the College of Charleston.
The Teacher of the Year process features two rounds of judging. First, all 31 school-level Teachers of the Year submit a written application responding to specific questions. This round uses four teams of judges to methodically and carefully review and score applications. Then, another team of judges observes each school-level Teacher of the Year in their classrooms. There is one rubric for scoring the applications and another rubric for scoring the observation. The teacher with the highest overall total becomes District Teacher of the Year.
Prior to announcing the district winner at the celebration, the district named the top 10 finalists: Carolina Springs Middle School Eighth Grade Social Studies Teacher Sarah Kelly; Deerfield Elementary Special Education Teacher Elizabeth T. Ancone; Gilbert Elementary Spanish Teacher Wade Hasty; Lake Murray Elementary Third Grade Teacher Mylisa D. Apperson; Lexington High Special Education Teacher Karen Allen; Lexington Technology Center Culinary Arts Teacher Danielle Mize; Oak Grove Elementary Fourth Grade Teacher Elizabeth Koehler; Pleasant Hill Elementary Spanish Immersion Teacher Carlos A. Gonzalez; Rocky Creek Elementary Third Grade Teacher Jennifer M. Ringo; and White Knoll High Science Teacher Allyson L. Stone.
In addition, this year’s school-level honorees included Beechwood Middle’s Halee S. Munsch, Carolina Springs Elementary’s Candice P. Elliott, Centerville Elementary’s Jessica Sanders, Forts Pond Elementary’s Kelly Glover, Gilbert High’s Kelsey M. Covell, Gilbert Middle’s Natalie M. Lewis, Lakeside Middle’s Kristie Shelly, Lexington Elementary’s Emily R. Fisher, Meadow Glen Elementary’s Jean Cochran, Meadow Glen Middle’s William Slechta, Midway Elementary’s Dr. Katrinda W. Scott, New Providence Elementary’s Haley LaMarche, Pelion Elementary’s Lynn Dennis, Pelion High’s Robert L. Arcovio, Pelion Middle’s Andrew M. Chavarria, Pleasant Hill Middle’s Jacqueline E. Anderson, Red Bank Elementary’s Jennifer Bonilla Chicas, River Bluff High’s Julie C. Vandiver, Saxe Gotha Elementary’s Dr. Donna-Neisha A. Steele, White Knoll Elementary’s Robin S. Reeves, and White Knoll Middle’s Jordan R. Henry.
