Photo by Jon Anderson
Kevin Pughsley, a sixth grade science teacher at Berry Middle School, has been named as one of the top four finalists for 2023-24 Alabama Teacher of the Year.
Kevin Pughsley, a sixth grade science teacher at Berry Middle School, this week was named one of the top four finalists for the 2023-24 Alabama Teacher of the Year.
Other finalists for the award are Jeffrey Norris of Oak Mountain Middle School in Shelby County, Lauren Murdoch Brascho of Coosa Valley Elementary in Pell City and Katie McGee of Cullman Middle School in Cullman City Schools.
The Alabama Department of Education plans to name the state’s Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year soon, and one of those will be named the state’s overall Teacher of the Year.
Pughsley, in a Facebook post, said he is grateful and humbled to be recognized among so many great educators in the state while representing Berry Middle School and Hoover City Schools.
“I appreciate all of the teachers, administrators, colleagues I have worked with,” Pughsley said. “Thank you for always pushing me and challenging me to be a better teacher than the day before. Lastly, thank you to my wife, Alicia Paul Pughsley, for encouraging and supporting my journey as an educator.”
Pughsley is in his sixth year at Berry Middle and 16th year of teaching overall. He previously taught 10 years as a sixth-grade science teacher at Calera Middle School in the Shelby County school system.
He was named Calera Middle School’s Teacher of the Year in 2008 and 2014, the Shelby County Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2014 and was his school district’s nominee for the Jacksonville State University Teacher Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Alabama Science Teacher Association Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2018.
Pughsley won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching in 2018 and was a teacher ambassador for the Alabama Educator Space Camp in 2017. In 2022, he led Berry students to a state championship in Tests in Engineering Aptitude Mathematics and Science, qualifying them to go to nationals in Dallas.
He is the head of the science department at his school, plans professional development for his fellow science teachers and mentors and teaches other teachers through the A Plus College Ready program.
Read more about Pughsley and why he was nominated in this story.
