GROVETOWN, Ga. (WJBF) - The Columbia County School District recognized its finalists for the 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year on Tuesday.

Here are the following 2025-2026 Top Five Finalists: • Lauren O’Neil of Cedar Ridge Elementary School • Kirsten Matthis of Evans High School • Jona Gaskin of Westmont Elementary School • Nancy Morris of Columbia Middle School • Tiffany Tanner of Parkway Elementary School

CCSD will announce the winner at the annual Teacher of the Year Celebration on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. at the Columbia County Exhibition Center in Grovetown.

According to CCSD, every school’s Teacher of the Year, including the top five finalists, will be recognized and awarded a variety of gifts.

The educator who is named Teacher of the Year will go on to represent the Col

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