Butch Mosely hands out second round of Game Balls to worthy teachers

ALBANY — Dougherty County School Superintendent Butch Mosely has distributed a second round of “Game Balls” to deserving DCSS teachers. Mosely began handing out basketballs to three teachers that led the system in student performance achievement in March.

The award came from memories of Mosely’s basketball coaching days when he awarded a game ball to a player whose effort exceeded expectations and helped the team become a winner.

“These teachers are doing a lot of things right,” said Mosely. “For the system to be improved, every classroom has to have a Game Ball winner giving their best, every day.”

April’s winners were:

Cortressa Clemons, Lincoln Elementary Magnet Language Arts and Writing teacher

Clemons improved the 5th grade Georgia Writing Test pass rate from 79 percent to 91 percent in the 2012 school year. The number of students exceeding the standard in 2012-13 increased by more than 10 percentage points. On the 2013 CRCT Language component test, 100 percent of Clemons’ students passed. The percentage of students that exceeded standards was greater than the state average for 2012 and 2013 school years.

Mosely says Clemons employs research-based teaching strategies, is a team player and works long hours without complaint, is committed to her students and makes sure they perform at or above their grade level.

Christopher Drake, Robert A. Cross Middle Magnet School Reading and Social Studies teacher

Drake is a seventh grade social studies teacher and grade chair. In 2012 his students posted a 96 percent pass rate in social studies on the CRCT and in 2013 that rate improved to 100 percent. He is known by students and staff for making learning relevant and interesting and integrates technology into instruction in ways that speaks to his student age group, Mosely said. In Reading and Social Studies classes, 100 percent of his students met or exceeded standards last year.

Elizabeth Arnold, Albany High School Physical Science and Biology teacher

Arnold chairs the Science Department at Albany High where biology scores improved from 54 percent passing to 70 percent passing. Physical Science scores made a similar leap to 70 percent passing. Last year in four biology classes, 27 percent of Arnold’s students exceeded the standards.

She started Science Open House Day and had 80 parents attend the event. Arnold also began the the Genetic Symposium to improve student interest and requested and was approved for new course in forensic science. Mosely says Arnold shows creative and innovative approaches to teaching and garnering student interest in sciences.