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South Effingham's Butler receives district teacher award
Kimberly Butler
Effingham County Teacher of the Year Kimberly Butler listens to South Elementary School third-grader Laney Archer read an essay Friday morning. - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff

 GUYTON —  It isn’t necessary for Kimberly Butler to tell people that she thinks about her job as a language arts teacher. Her face, even while covered by a COVID-19 mask, conveys her opinion thoroughly.

Butler’s eyes glimmered with affection Friday morning while listening to South Effingham Elementary School third graders read creative stories that they penned. Fostering a love for writing in her students is her passion.

“I would not do anything else,” Butler said two days earlier after receiving the 2020-21 Effingham County School District Teacher of the Year Award at a banquet at New Ebenezer Retreat Center. “There is not one thing I’d rather do. I feel blessed to get up everyday.

“School is my happy place.”

Butler embraces the challenge of getting students to love writing as much as she does.

“(Writing) is a struggle for a lot of them and I just love to see them realize that they can do it if they will just follow along with it like I have,” she said. 

Apparently, third-grader Maddie Faris received her teacher’s messages clearly. She gestured excitedly Friday while sharing a tale she authored from the perspective of a juicy cheeseburger. Her voice punctuated key points along the way as she read to her classmates.

“It’s one of my favorite times of the day and I think my kids enjoy it,” Butler said about the writing sessions. “We have fun with it.”

Butler tiptoed into her profession by working with children at her church and in a pre-school. She also served as a paraprofessional at Marlow Elementary School.

“I became a teacher later in life but I’ve always known that I wanted to help children in some capacity,” Butler said. “I’ve always been drawn to children my entire life.”

It was Butler’s experience at Marlow that convinced her to return to Georgia Southern University to obtain a degree in education.

“I just love being around children,” she said. “I learn just as much from them as they learn from me.”

Butler said she was honored to have been selected by her peers as South Effingham Elementary School’s teacher of the year, making her a candidate for the district honor.

“It’s so humbling,” she said. “I work with the very, very best. It’s like a family at South Effingham.”

The district’s other teachers of the year include Helen Reynolds (Blandford Elementary School), Courtney Golden (Ebenezer Elementary School), Jessica Allen (Guyton Elementary School), April Bowen (Marlow Elementary School), Brenda Brown (Rincon Elementary School), Tracy Davis (Sand Hill Elementary School), Amy Brown (Springfield Elementary School), Bridgette Kincade (Ebenezer Middle School), Carolyn Radford (Effingham County Middle School), Brandi Bonorato (South Effingham Middle School), Monica Kessler (Effingham County High School), Kristen Denney (South Effingham High School), April Platt (Effingham College & Career Academy) and Christy Anderson (Crossroads Academy).

Superintendent Dr. Yancy Ford thanked all the teachers for their efforts.

“I know that this year has been very difficult,” he said. “I know that you’ve had to overcome a lot of obstacles, especially with COVID, but I’m here to tell you don’t let anybody tell you that you aren’t making a difference. You are igniting the fire inside the hearts of students. If you weren’t, they wouldn’t be showing up (to school).

“I hear time and time again, parenents, say, ‘Thank you for allowing our children to come to the schools in Effingham County.’”