The excitement is building for the start of the school year. Teachers are back in their classrooms. Three of Cobb's thousands of teachers will carry an extra special title this year— Cobb County Schools Teacher of the Year! 

On the first day the Cobb teachers returned from summer break, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale crowned the county superstars: 

Elementary School Level Teacher of the Year 

Karen Wright 

Big Shanty Intermediate School 

Middle School Level Teacher of the Year 

Shelly Quance 

Palmer Middle School 

High School Level Teacher of the Year 

Jasmin Molina 

Osborne High School 

Superintendent Ragsdale surprised the teachers in a room packed with their fellow educators, who erupted in cheers and applause at the news. Together, the District's Teachers of the Year (TOTY) boast almost 60 years of education experience.

"I look forward to this day every year," Superintendent Ragsdale said. "I take great pride in recognizing our Teachers of the Year, who, along with the rest of our Team, are why Cobb is the best place to teach, lead, and learn. It's going to be another great school year!" 

A caravan of District leadership, including Cobb County Schools Board of Education members, joined Superintendent Ragsdale in praising Cobb's teachers. 

"Cobb teachers are like family, many serving our students for years. Because our Board and leadership are stable, our staff is able to really get to know and serve our students better," said Board Member Brad Wheeler. 

Cobb's recent performance on the Georgia Milestones and reading on grade level, which leads the metro and was announced today, underscores Mr. Wheeler's comments. 

"We're a Family." 

With tears in her eyes, Karen Wright gushed with praise for her colleagues at Big Shanty Intermediate School. 

"We can't do this job by ourselves. We're a family. We've always said that we're family. We work together. You cannot do this job in isolation. You can't. You have to do it with people, your peers, your colleagues, your family, and your administration. You can't do it by yourself," said the Cobb County Schools Elementary School Teacher of the Year. 

Ms. Wright has spent her 27 years as a teacher helping Cobb students succeed. She currently serves students as a fourth-grade ELA teacher. 

"There's a quote..that 'you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.' When we are all together, all the time, we are rising. We are lifting each other up and making each other better. While we are the teachers, we are also the students learning from each other, growing and challenging ourselves, and even after our hardest days, here, we come back because it's where we belong." 

That's why Cobb's Elementary School Level TOTY was so excited for her first day back. She is excited to welcome the students back. "We know that the kids need us, and we need the kids," Ms. Wright said. 

"Queen of Zen" 

Cobb's Middle School Level Teacher of the Year is also ready for the start of the school year. Shelly Quance also praised her fellow Cobb educators for their work with students. 

"You are the best staff I have ever worked with in 25 years. You are the best. Your love for kids is obvious every single day. I thank God every day that I get to walk into this building and be a part of this family," said the 6th-grade science and reading teacher. 

According to her Palmer Middle School colleagues, Ms. Quance is the "queen of zen" and is all about the students. So much so that summer break doesn't always keep her away. Her principal found the 6th-grade teacher adding inspirational quotes to the wall over the summer to help encourage Palmer students when they returned. 

Principal Shannon Kiger praised Ms. Quance for positively impacting students outside school hours by starting the school's Fellowship of Christian Students. 

"She is not just an amazing teacher. She is an amazing human being," Principal Shannon Kiger added. 

"I love the community." 

For Jasmin Molina, being named High School Level Teacher of the Year honors the work of teacher colleagues at Osborne High School, colleagues who were once her own teachers. 

The 9th-grade English teacher is a graduate of Osborne High School. 

"I think I owe it to them. I think I owe being the teacher of the year to my coworkers because many of them were my teachers when I was here. They're like my mentors, and I get the privilege of calling them friends. They're always teaching me and helping me," Ms. Molina explained. 

She returned to Osborne for her first teaching job and has taught for six years. Osborne was the only place she wanted to be. 

"Osborne is the community I grew up in, and I graduated from Osborne. So, I always look back on my years at Osborne. I loved it here, and I love the teachers." 

Her sister graduated from Osborne, and she has a brother and sister who are current Osborne students. Osborne is home; it's the place where she feels like she connects with students. 

"I know all the local restaurants. I know like all the local spots to go to. I love the community of Osborne," Cobb's High School TOTY said. 

She enjoys her role as a high school educator and seeing her students grow up and go on to have careers. Beyond sharing her love of reading with Osborne students, she is proud to see how students have blossomed under the Hispanic Heritage program she launched in her first year as a teacher.

 "The students went from being really shy to now they're ones on stage that are choreographing the dances," Ms. Molina shared. "They're out there talking to businesses to get donations [for the school's huge Hispanic Heritage festival."