The Shadow
LOW MOOR — The Alleghany County School Board recognized its teacher of the year and other nominees for the award Monday.
Avery Nipper, a math teacher at Alleghany High School, was named as the school division’s teacher of the year by the Alleghany Highlands Chamber Commerce and Tourism.
Nipper received the award during the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism’s annual dinner March 30 at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
Other nominees for the award were: Cindy Fox, Clifton Middle School; Linda Liptrap, Callaghan Elementary School; Christine Arrington, Mountain View Elementary School; and Vickie Hayslett, Sharon Elementary School.
Avery Nipper joined the math department at Alleghany High School in August 2005.
As a team leader of the math department, he teachers Algebra II, advanced algebra and trigonometry as well as mentoring other math teachers.
Prior to joining the staff at AHS, Nipper was employed with Smyth County Public Schools as a math and technology teacher for seven years.
Before becoming a school teacher, he worked in maintenance and construction.
Nipper earned an associate’s degree in engineering from Virginia Highlands Community College in 1975 and a bachelor’s degree in math in 1998 from Radford University.
Nipper is active in the school division and the local community. At Alleghany High School, he serves as the math department team leader, Key Club sponsor, a curriculum committee member and a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation Committee.
He is a member of the National Education Association and the Virginia Education Association.
Nipper also the past master of Covington Masonic Lodge No. 171; past high priest of Alleghany Royal Arch Chapter No. 24 and past eminent commander of Alleghany Commandery No. 23. Nipper is also a member of the Mallow Presbyterian Church.
His philosophy on teaching is: “I think that everyone is entitled to the best education that is available. I want to be able to be the person that delivers this. I want every student to leave thinking, ‘Wow, I needed that, or I gained from this class.’”
Cindy Fox was named as interim assistant principal of Clifton Middle School Monday night. She will serve as assistant principal for the remainder of the school year.
Fox joined Alleghany County Public Schools in August 2007 as an English teacher at Clifton Middle School.
She taught English for seven years before becoming a teacher in Career and Technical Education. She taught keyboarding.
In August 2017, Fox left the classroom to become a testing technology resource teacher.
Fox attended Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, graduating in 1989 with an associate’s degree in business management.
In 2004, she graduated from Bluefield College with a bachelor’s in organizational management and development. Fox later decided to pursue a career in education by attending Mary Baldwin College, which allowed her to get a teaching certificate with a Pre-K to 6th grade elementary endorsement.
In 2018, Fox began pursuing a master’s degree in school administration from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She plans to complete her degree requirements in May 2020.
Fox is active in the school division outside of the classroom as a member of the leadership committee, the One to One Committee, the grading committee, the safe school committee and the teacher advisory committee.
She is a member of the Alleghany Education Association, the Virginia Education Association and the National Education Association.
She serves as a mentor teacher, a SAMR teacher trainer, a member of the VTSS Committee, in an intern principalship and volunteers as a chaperone at school dances.
Fox has been a recipient of the Above and Beyond Call of Duty award and the Teacher of the Year in 2010.
She also serves on the board of directors at Jackson River Community Credit Union.
“As a beginning teacher, I thought every student should come through my door ready to learn and I would accept nothing less. I now realize it is not as simple as that. As times have changed so have our students,” Fox said in describing her teaching philosophy.
Christine Arrington began her teaching career with Alleghany County Public Schools in August 2004 at Mountain View Elementary School as a first grade teacher.
She tooks a leave of absence in 2007 and returned to Mountain View in 2010 as a teacher assistant. She went back to teaching in November of 2015.
Arrington, an Alleghany High School alumnae, attended Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, graduating in 2001 with an associate’s degree in education. In 2003, Arrington graduated from Mary Baldwin College with a major in history and a minor in elementary education.
Arrington is a member of the Alleghany Education Foundation and the Virginia Education Foundation. She serves on the reading committee, the report card and grading committee, the accelerated reader committee and the Dr. Suess Committee.
Her teaching philosophy is: “I truly believe that an education is one of the most important influences in an individual’s life. It provides a foundation to build and establish our lives as well as aids us in accomplishing our goals and dreams.
“With this in mind, my ultimate goal as an educator is to provide my students with safe, well-structured learning environments where they feel comfortable to share ideas, ask questions, and be involved in their own learning experience.”
Victoria Hayslett started her education career in 2001 as a teacher assistant at Sharon Elementary School, where she remained until 2013. She was transferred to Mountain View Elementary School for the 2013-2014 school year.
While serving as a teacher assistant, Hayslett worked toward earning a bachelor’s degree and a teaching license.
Hayslett’s first teaching position was with the YMCA pre-school for one year. She returned to Sharon Elementary School in August 2015 as a Title I/Remediation teacher.
Hayslett earned an associate’s degree from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College and a bachelor’s from Mary Baldwin.
She is a member of the Virginia Professional Educators and AHEAD team leader at Sharon. She also serves on Sharon literacy team and leadership team. In addition, Hayslett assists with first books workshops and the Sharon yearbook. She also serves as a GED teacher.
Hayslett attends Victory Baptist Church in Clifton Forge. She has taught children’s church for more than 20 years and assisted with Vacation Bible School. She has also served as an event coordinator for youth group activities and provided child care for church youth group leaders.
“My philosophy on teaching is that every child knows they are respected as an individual with unique personalities and abilities. I believe my role as a teacher is to provide a positive learning environment where students feel safe, loved, and challenged,” she said.
Linda Liptrap has been a teacher at Callaghan Elementary School since 2013.
She has taught fifth grade math and Virginia studies.
Liptrap is an Alleghany High School alumnae. She holds an associate’s degree from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College and a bachelor’s degree in science from Old Dominion University in Norfolk. She also earned a master’s degree in education from ODU.
Her teaching philosophy is: “Teaching young minds is a task that cannot be taken lightly. It is full of challenges, frustrations and responsibilities. However, it is a task that is also full of excitement, wonder, and joy.”
————————————————————————–
The Alleghany County School Board recognized its teachers of the year Monday during a meeting at Clifton Middle School. From left: Superintendent Gene Kotulka; Avery Nipper, division teacher of the year-Alleghany High School; Cindy Fox, Clifton Middle School; Linda Liptrap, Callaghan Elementary School; Christine Arrington, Mountain View Elementary School; Victoria Hayslett, Sharon Elementary School and School Board Chairman Randy Tucker. The award is given annually by the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.
(Photo Courtesy of Alleghany County Public Schools)
