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Blowing Rock School’s Eve Parsons Named Watauga County Teacher of the Year

Last Updated on March 26, 2022 2:37 pm

Blowing Rock School’s Eve Parsons was named Watauga County School’s district-wide Teacher of the Year Monday morning by Superintendent Dr. Scott Elliott along with members of the school board, Blowing Rock and central office staff.

As is tradition in WCS, Parsons was presented her award in front of the assembled students and staff of Blowing Rock School in a surprise ceremony.

Parsons has 25 years of experience in Watauga County Schools and a Bachelor’s degree in middle grades education from Appalachian State University. She splits her time teaching 6-8 grade math at Blowing Rock, Green Valley and Parkways schools.

Elliott said it was a mark of Parson’s high standing with her peers that she would be selected teacher of the year when only spending a portion of her day in Blowing Rock School.

“It truly shows what a remarkable leader Mrs. Parsons really is that her fellow teachers would select her as a teacher of the year when she divides her time between three schools,” Elliott said. “Even in spending a short time at Blowing Rock during the day, she is able to make a great impact there — both on her students and her peers.”

Blowing Rock Principal Patrick Sukow said Parsons had a lasting impact on the people she’d taught alongside over the years.

“Over the fourteen years that I’ve been here, Mrs. Parsons has been amazing,” Sukow said. “She always makes a point to speak with other faculty members to gauge how her students are doing in their classes, but also to take away lessons that she might bring to her own classroom.”

“Her students know that she is someone that they can talk too, and they have the utmost respect for her as a teacher.”

Mrs. Parsons was joined at the ceremony by her parents Clair and Edgar Whitlock and her husband Gregg.

The teacher of the year at each school is selected by their teaching peers at the school. The Watauga County Schools Teacher of the Year is chosen through a process that includes interviews, unannounced teacher observations in classrooms, and a review of a written statement of teaching philosophy prepared by each candidate.

This year’s selection committee included Christy Parker, Jennifer Lacy, Martha Trimble, Jason Cornett, Stephanie Weeks, and Ike Smith.

WCS teachers of the year receive gifts and donations from several local businesses including, AFLAC, App Cookie Co., ASU Athletics, Boone Drug, Chic-Fil-A, Hardees, The Hickory Crawdads, High Gravity Adventures, Jersey Mike’s, Makotos, Mast Stores, Mellow Mushroom, Mo’s Boots, NASCAR Park, South’s, Stickboy, Sweetfrog, Tanger-Shoppes, Tar Heel Capital and Wahoos.

WCS Superintendent Dr. Scott Elliott surprises Eve Parsons during an assembly at Blowing Rock School.
Parsons and Elliott speak to students at Blowing Rock.
Board member Jason Cornett, Eve Parsons, Board Chairman Ron Henries and Scott Elliott at the award ceremony.
Blowing Rock Principal Patrick Sukow with Parsons.
Blowing Rock fourth grade teacher and former Teacher of the Year Martha Trimble with Parsons.
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