OFYTY

Every year, our schools can nominate one of their Beginning Teachers (BTs) completing their first year of teaching to be our district's Outstanding First Year Teacher of the Year (OFYTY) award recipient. A panel of former educators and administrators interviews each candidate in the spring and selects one overall and two runners-up awardees. The awardees are announced and recognized in April. The district's overall Outstanding First Year Teacher of the Year is then eligible to be considered for state-wide recognition as NCCAT's Beginning Teacher of the Year. 

Mr. Nathan Emerick, a K-5 EC Resource Teacher at West View Elementary, was named the 2024-2025 JCPS Outstanding First Year Teacher of the Year. Ms. Kenia Perez-Melchor (Four Oaks Elementary) & Mr. Ralph Vitale (Smithfield-Selma High School) were selected as the runners-up. 

We invite you to watch the video below, which recognizes and celebrates all of the 2024-2025 nominees. You can also visit our Past OFYTY Receipents page to see previous winners and runners-up.