Woodville-Tompkins students and staff have reason to celebrate as two of their own have been recognized for their efforts in foreign language education.
The Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT) has named teacher Bertha Delgadillo, Teacher of the Year. This honor comes after Mrs. Delgadillo was named Foreign Language Association of Georgia (FLAG) Teacher of the Year last year, placing her in the regional competion. Mrs. Delgadillo teaches Spanish at Woodville-Tompkins.
Each state in the fourteen state SCOLT region may send one state language Teacher of the Year nominee to the regional conference. Mrs. Delgadillo was one of nine outstanding educators nominated this year. SCCPSS Teacher Specialist for World Languages Maribel Gomez said, "Bertha's victory is a testament to her dedication and excellence. Bertha's
advocacy for language education and her invaluable support to educators across
the nation and abroad through her blog, resources, and free professional
development sessions truly make her a deserving recipient of these awards."
Mrs. Delgadillo will now advance to the national competition sponsored by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL). During the ACTFL National Conference in Philadelphia later this year, she and other regional teachers will vie for the title of ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year. The teacher selected for that honor will serve as the national spokesperson for language learning in 2024.
In addition to that recognition, Woodville-Tompkins Principal Alfred McGuire has been honored with the Administrative Support of World Languages Award from the Foreign Language Association of Georgia this year. He received a plaque at the Association's luncheon in Atlanta on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
The FLAG Administrator of the Year award recognizes a Georgia Dean, Superintendent, Principal, or other administrator who has evidenced strong and overt support for World languages. Ms. Gomez says, "Mr.
McGuire has consistently championed World Language Education within our
district, fostering an environment of continuous professional growth for his
teachers. Under Mr. McGuire's guidance, teachers have been encouraged not only
to attend conferences but also to actively participate by presenting their
work. Through his visionary leadership, Mr. McGuire has inspired his educators
to achieve new heights of excellence and has positioned Woodville Tompkins as a
national model for its dedication to World Language education, its impactful
work with Latino/Hispanic students and its inclusive practices."
The staff member who nominated Mr. McGuire was quoted as saying, "It is so refreshing to know that our school is so fortunate to have an administrator who truly believes in the work that we do as language teachers inside and outside of the classroom.'
Congratulations to both Mrs. Delgadillo and Mr. McGuire!
