By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–They are truly at the head of their class(es).
A trio of instructors in the Union City School System has been selected as Teachers of the Year by principals at their respective buildings.
Jessica Graham (UC Elementary School), Allison Butner (UC Middle) and Paige McMillan (UCHS) were all chosen based on a specific set of criteria put in place by administrators.
Among the many admirable skills and qualities that each of the winners possess are leadership, professionalism, attitude, mentorship and — in some cases — attaining Level 5 teaching status.
They will be recognized formally at the monthly meeting of the UC School Board in February.
Each winner of the prestigious honor said they were humbled by the recognition while deflecting much of the credit for their accomplishment to administration and students who they say have helped make UC Schools one of the best systems in Tennessee.
And system Director of Teaching and Learning Rene Flood said all were deserving of the recognition.
“We are blessed with a wonderful collection of educators and the attention to detail and extra effort these teachers have put forth make them great ambassadors for Union City Schools,” Flood said. “They all have a welcoming classroom learning environment and they each set high expectations and standards for their students while also exhibiting professionalism in all areas.
“We’re so proud to honor all of them and are very fortunate they are part of our Union City Schools family.”
Graham, whose husband, John, was a recipient last year at Union City High School, is in her sixth year as a kindergarten teacher at UCES. She served as an educational assistant there for two years prior.
She said the obstacles of traditional teaching of kindergartners brought by the COVID-19 pandemic in the past year created a challenge to meet the needs of so many students who require hands-on and social interactions with teachers and their peers.
“It truly has been a team effort with my kindergarten team as well as other teachers throughout the school system,” she said. “Our administration, too, has given us all of the resources possible to make it successful.
“I’m so thrilled with this honor. I’m thankful and appreciative of those around me and those who work with me who made it possible.”
UCES Principal David Byars had high words of praise for Graham.
“Mrs. Graham is a very bright, well-rounded teacher whose compassion, hard work and sacrifice for her students and school earned her this honor,” Byars said. “She is a dedicated leader in our school, and she embodies the moral principles necessary to earn the respect of her students, her peers and community stakeholders.
“She is dependable, punctual and cooperative in all that she attempts to do. In short, the UCES Teacher of the Year exemplifies all that is good with education at our school and all that is good about our community.”
Butner is one of the Union City School System’s own, having graduated as a Golden Tornado in 1991.
She spent nine years in the Fulton City School System beforehand and is in her sixth year at UCMS, where she serves as an intervention specialist for seventh- and eighth-graders. She is ultra-talented in the arts as well, and directs the high school choir and theater programs.
Butner has worked diligently in all of her responsibilities, succeeding and excelling despite the lack of one-on-one time with students due to the coronavirus outbreak. She still plans on a production of “Annie,” which was postponed from last year due to COVID, and is continually balancing safety protocols with needed individualized instruction and direction.
She insisted she was humbled at the TOY recognition.
“There is such an overflowing of high-quality educators throughout our system and at Union City Middle School. It is such an honor to be chosen for this,” she said.
Her principal, Lance Morgan, shared that Butner checked all the boxes for the award.
“She’s such a valuable asset to the Middle School staff,” Morgan stated. “She’s relentless in her efforts to determine students’ needs in the classroom and in all other areas of life.
“She’s been so instrumental, too, to us in the implementation of distance learning during what has been a challenging time. There’s not anything she can’t do, and there’s not anything I could ask her to do for her students and Union City Schools that she wouldn’t do. We are blessed to have her.”
McMillan teaches AP and Honors biology at Union City High School while fulfilling several administrative roles in the science department. She is in her fourth year at the school, having come to UCHS from Westview, and also serves as an assistant girls’ basketball coach.
While noting her responsibilities have been challenging due to the science lab part of her job being affected by adjusted classroom time and social distancing, she raved about her students’ continued desire to learn.
“Students at Union City Schools want to learn. They want to know more, and they’ll put forth the effort that you ask of them,” McMillan said. “Finding ways to get around not being in the classroom as much has been challenging, but we’ve been able to do that with tremendous support from our administration.
“It’s very humbling to receive this honor. And I work alongside and for some great people at Union City Schools.”
UCHS Principal Jacob Cross insisted that McMillan was worthy of accolades.
“Ms. McMillan has always exemplified professionalism in the classroom and beyond,” Cross said. “She sets extremely high expectations for her students and players, then goes the extra mile to help them find success.
“This is a well-deserved honor for her.”