Sara Jane Doubleday, Pooler Elementary
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Sara Jane Doubleday, a fourth-grade teacher at Pooler Elementary School, was named Savannah-Chatham County Public School Systems’ 2009 Teacher of the Year at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala held at the Westin Savannah Harbor Hotel.  

Doubleday, a teacher in the district since July 2004, previously taught in Hillsborough County (FL) Public Schools and Virginia Beach (VA) Public Schools.  She began her public school teaching career in January 1991 and has taught kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade as well as Reading Recovery programs.  Over the course of her career, she has received three Reading Teacher of the Year awards in Virginia and two Teacher of the Year awards in her Virginia and Florida districts.

Believing that “educating young children is both a privilege and a challenge,” Doubleday earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut and graduate degree from Old Dominion University.  She is a Mastered-level teacher certified in early childhood education with additional certification in gifted education and ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages). 

Doubleday states that “outstanding teachers never stop learning and growing.”  She is a member of the International Reading Association, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE).  She has participated in several professional educational trainings and has facilitated trainings to her peers.  She also mentors new teachers and supervises student teachers.

As the district Teacher of the Year, Doubleday will serve as an educational ambassador for the school system and act as a representative for all SCCPSS teachers. In addition to the prestigious honor, Doubleday will also conduct staff development activities, serve on district-wide committees and participate in various conferences.

The Georgia Department of Education will select the State Teacher of the Year from all public school districts in Georgia. The ten state finalists will be announced later this month. The Georgia Teacher of the Year will be recognized at the state banquet in May.