Lorraine Elementary special education teacher Amy Autry was named the 2012 Teacher of the Year for Rockdale County Public Schools in a ceremony Tuesday night.

Autry (of no relation to RCPS Superintendent Richard Autry) teaches in the school system’s severe and profound special education program. Autry has taught for 14 years and has been in the Rockdale County Public School system for most of those years.

A surprised and emotional Autry thanked her family and the staff at Lorraine Elementary for honoring her work with special-needs students and said her faith has guided her.

“I am a very small part of an amazing team of special educators in Rockdale County,” Autry said Tuesday night. “Every day it is an honor to work alongside the best teachers in the business. There is no doubt in my mind that God called me to teach children with special needs many years ago. Although there have been many times I wanted to give up, he has continually supplied everything I needed to continue my work. People ask me all the time why I chose to teach children with severe disabilities and the answer is the kids.” 

The school system’s profound and severe special education program for elementary students is located at Lorraine Elementary, with about 18-25 students in three classes.

“Every day I get the opportunity to walk into a classroom and work with students who society believes are unable to learn, but I know different,” Autry told the crowd gathered at Rockdale Career Academy for the award ceremony. “I know that inside every child is the desire and ability to learn. It may not look the same or even be at the same level as what most would consider normal, but they are still learning and I am amazed as I watch students continually achieve what once seemed impossible. We all every day lay the path for our students to do what is necessary to get them to learn. The path oftentimes looks different and most likely will require adaptations and certainly requires an ‘out of the box’ approach and a lot of work, but the result is the same and students achieve success. I am blessed to work with these students everyday.”

Autry is a graduate of University of West Georgia. She and her family – husband Jason, daughter Hannah, and sons Timothy and Zachary – live in Covington. She volunteers as the children’s director at Zion Baptist Church in Covington and is currently working on a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Each year all 22 schools select a Teacher of the Year, and the county-wide teacher of the year is chosen from those nominees. Autry was among three finalist including Davis Middle School art teacher Katy King and Heritage High School business education teacher Kimberly Davis who were considered for the top honor. 

Every Teacher of the Year received a gift basket filled with prizes donated by local businesses during Tuesday night’s ceremony.  As part of her gift basket, Autry received a weekend retreat at the King and Prince Resort on St. Simon’s island and a substitute on the Friday she takes the trip.

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IN BRIEF: Lorraine Elementary special education teacher Amy Autry was named the 2012 Teacher of the Year for Rockdale County Public Schools in a ceremony Tuesday night.

Autry (of no relation to RCPS Superintendent Richard Autry) teaches in the school system's severe and profound special education program. Autry has taught for 14 years and has been in the Rockdale County Public School system for most of those years.

“I do feel called to do this,” she said previously of teaching special education. “I like rooting for the underdog... These kids get told all the time they can’t do something. And we’ve proven over and over again… they can when we give them the right method and access.”

The school system’s profound and severe special education program for elementary students is located at Lorraine Elementary, with about 18-25 students in three classes.

Autry is a graduate of University of West Georgia. She and her family – husband Jason, daughter Hannah, and sons Timothy and Zachary – live in Covington. She volunteers as the children’s director at Zion Baptist Church in Covington and is currently working on a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

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