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Lee named teacher of the year
Aimee Lee TOTY
Aimee Lee of Rincon Elementary School was named the Effingham County Teacher of the Year. At left is Effingham Herald Publisher Karen Tanksley and right is Effingham Board of Education Chairman Lamar Allen, who presented each teacher of the year with a plaque and a gift. - photo by Photo by Sandi Van Orden

Rincon Elementary School’s Aimee Lee was named the Effingham County Teacher of the Year at the annual teacher recognition banquet, held Wednesday evening at the New Ebenezer Retreat Center.

The event was hosted by The Effingham Herald.

“We spend a lot of time looking at the things that are good about Effingham County, and there are a lot of things good,” Karen Tanksley, publisher for the Herald, said. “We’re all struggling this year, but I don’t think there is anything more important to our county than the school system, the good teachers. Because of you, you’re molding the citizens of tomorrow, and we’re very, very fortunate to have you do that, so we thank you again.”

Superintendent Randy Shearouse said he hears compliments about the teachers “all the time.”

“When I look out there and I see all our teachers of the year, I think about how much you do mean to our community,” he said. “One thing that touches me about our teachers of the year, as a principal, I used to always look at when kids came back to find certain teachers and hug them and thank them for what they had done in their life — and you can’t ever replace that.

“Thank you so much for what you do for our county and for our students.”

Effingham School Board Approves $203M budget with Potential Property Tax Increase
2026 budget
This chart illustrates how the Effingham County School District’s $203 million general fund is allocated for fiscal year 2026, including spending on salaries, benefits, transportation, health services, and safety and security. (Courtesy of Effingham School District)
The Effingham County Board of Education approved a $203 million fiscal year 2026 budget Thursday night, reflecting an 11% increase over last year. The rise is largely due to an $8 million spike in health and retirement benefit costs for employees. To help cover the shortfall, the district may raise the property tax millage rate, potentially increasing homeowners’ taxes by up to 12 percent.
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