Giles County Educator is Virginia's 2010 Teacher of the Year

Catherine S. Webb, a speech language pathologist and special education teacher at Narrows Elementary/Middle School in Giles County, was named the 2010 Virginia Teacher of the Year Friday evening in Richmond. Webb was selected from the eight Virginia 2010 Regional Teachers of the Year announced in September. She will be the commonwealth’s nominee in the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year program, which is sponsored by ING Foundation.

“Catherine Webb epitomizes the commitment of Virginia teachers to lifelong learning and the acquisition of new skills to better serve their students,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright. “She recognized a need and responded by furthering her education and developing a countywide program to provide new instructional opportunities for children with autism.”

Webb has taught in Giles County Public Schools for 24 years. Most of that time, she was a speech language pathologist serving preschool through 12th-grade students. In 2006, she received a certificate of graduate studies in autism and has worked as the Giles County autism consultant and instructor in the division’s three elementary schools. As Region 7 Teacher of the Year, she represents Bland County, Bristol, Buchanan County, Carroll County, Dickenson County, Galax, Giles County, Grayson County, Lee County, Norton, Pulaski County, Radford, Russell County, Scott County, Smyth County, Tazewell County, Washington County, Wise County and Wythe County public schools.

In recognition of her selection as 2010 Virginia Teacher of the Year, Webb received a $5,000 award and a ring from the Apple Federal Credit Union Education Foundation. She also received $2,500 from Richmond law firm Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen; a classroom technology package from Street & Company Audio Visual in conjunction with SMARTerKids Foundation; educational opportunities from several public and private colleges and universities; flowers from Strange’s Florists; and an engraved crystal apple.

The other seven regional teachers of the year received $500 awards from the program sponsors; a technology package from Street & Company Audio Visual in conjunction with SMARTerKids Foundation; offers of educational benefits from several public and private colleges and universities; and lapel pins from National Quality Products.

Webb was selected after being interviewed by a committee that included representatives of professional and educational associations, the business community and 2009 Virginia Teacher of the Year Stephanie A. Doyle of Roanoke Public Schools.

The 2010 National Teacher of the Year will be announced next spring in a White House ceremony. Two previous Virginia teachers of the year – Mary V. Bicouvaris in 1989 and B. Philip Bigler in 1998 – have gone on to become National Teacher of the Year.

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