Superintendent Dr. Mark Sullivan and district leaders visited four Birmingham City Schools campuses today to share exciting news with five outstanding educators.
As part of an annual tradition, Dr. Sullivan announced the Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, Elementary and Secondary Counselors of the Year, and Librarian of the Year for 2025-2026 during surprise presentations held at each school.
And the winners are…
Elementary Teacher of the Year: Madison Abney of C.W. Hayes K-8 School
Secondary Teacher of the Year: April Sibley of Ramsay I.B. High School
Elementary Counselor of the Year: Samantha Bookman of R.C. Hemphill Elementary School
Secondary Counselor of the Year: Sonya Thompson of Ramsay I.B. High School
Librarian of the Year: Tamra Ishman of Oxmoor Valley Elementary School
“In Birmingham City Schools, we say Success Starts Here, and it was especially important for us to take a moment to celebrate the people who play a major role in the success of our school district and who do so much for our students every single day. These honorees represent the very best of BCS. They work hard, care deeply about our scholars, and make a real difference in our schools,” said Dr. Mark Sullivan, Superintendent of Birmingham City Schools.
Teachers of the Year will be considered for the Alabama Teacher of the Year, with finalists typically announced in April each year. Last year, Aubrey Bennett of G.W. Carver High School was named Alternate Alabama Teacher of the Year, as well as the state’s Secondary Teacher of the Year. The 2022-2023 Alabama Teacher of the Year was Reggie White of Booker T. Washington K-8 School.