COVINGTON, Ga. — Sandie Albritton said in a TV interview in 2020 she loved being a teacher.

“There’s no better job,” she said.

Albritton, a math teacher at Alcovy High School since 2016 who touched the lives of students at four Newton County schools, died Saturday.

Alcovy Principal Kristopher Williams confirmed the passing of the school’s AP coordinator and senior class advisor in a social media post.

“She was a remarkable individual that loved education, math and Alcovy. She was one of a kind. She will truly be missed,” Williams wrote.

A statement from the Newton County School System said Albritton “was a much-loved teacher who absolutely adored teaching math.”

“In fact, she was known by her catchphrase, ‘Math rocks!’ 

“Her passing is a tremendous blow for our school system and the many students and staff members who knew and loved her. She was not only a teacher but also a mentor to many. She will definitely be missed. 

“We extend our sincerest sympathies to her family during this very difficult time,” according to the statement.

Numerous Facebook users who expressed their condolences on social media said she died from the effects of COVID-19 but that could not be verified Monday.

One Facebook user said she formerly worked as a teacher with Albritton and called her the “biggest advocate and cheerleader for her students, school and department of anyone I've ever worked with.”

LaTavia Turner-Williams, a former Newton County sheriff’s deputy, worked as a school resource officer at Alcovy for five years and was a friend of Albritton.

She told The Covington News that one thing she will remember about Albritton is her smile.

“Her smile is one of the things that just lingers in my mind,” she said.

Turner-Williams recalled Albritton as a “giving, loving” person as well.

“When I was out sick with COVID and my mom died from COVID, Sandie and (husband) Tim saw that me and my family went and/or needed nothing and I am forever grateful,” Turner-Williams said in a post on social media.

While at Alcovy, Turner-Williams said she worked with Albritton to give seniors a little more recognition in 2020 as many students experienced school virtually because of the pandemic.  

“She and I were both so involved with the kids at the school and I told her I wanted to make T-shirts for the seniors for graduation when COVID first started and the class of 2020 had to do virtual school,” Turner-Williams said. 

“We got into the groove and between the two (of) us, we made close to 600 shirts in (two to three) days and guess what? She never complained.”

Albritton also helped Turner-Williams with a suicide awareness and prevention effort she established called #IMATTER. 

“She became one of our committee members and nothing but love from there,” Turner-Williams said.

Albritton also was a committee member for a nonprofit Turner-Williams now leads called The Opening of Closed Doors Inc., which teaches young women the value of knowing their self-worth.

The veteran math teacher had worked at Alcovy for five years and was one of the Senior Class advisors.

Albritton also served as a coordinator of the school’s Advanced Placement program, which allows students to take college-equivalent courses while in high school.

Her lengthy experience as an educator included working at three other schools in the Newton County School System and in other school districts in three states, according to information from the Newton County School System.

Before Alcovy, Albritton worked as a math teacher at Clements Middle School, Indian Creek Middle School and Newton County Theme School.

Albritton also worked in the Davis School District in Utah; Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia; and in the Houston County, Jasper County and Marietta City school systems in Georgia.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Texas at San Antonio; master’s degree from Walden University in 2005; and Education Specialist degree from Georgia College and State University in 2009.