Teacher Of The Year Has A Desire To See Every Student Succeed

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – A Northeast Mississippi special education teacher IS named top educator in the state.

In Whitney Drewrey’s class, one on one instruction is the norm.

Drewrey teaches special education at Lafayette Upper Elementary .  Recently, she was named “Teacher of the Year” by the Mississippi Department of Education.

She began her career as a science teacher twelve years ago, but says she wanted to work with special needs students.

“I think I root for the underdog and those children are born with challenges they can’t help and to see the smile on their face and things they do everyday,  I can’t come to work and not give them 100 percent,” Drewrey said.

Drewrey is also quick to credit fellow teachers, her assistants and the school for allowing her a lot of freedoms when it comes to teaching her students, and involving them in everyday activities and field trips.

“They’ve let me be me and do what I need to do for my kids,” she said.

“The thing that sort of sets her apart is she develops those healthy relationships with her boys and girls and they know she has a genuine love and concern for them,” said Upper Lafayette Elementary Principal Thomas Tillman.

Drewrey points to a handicapped accessible playground as another example of the district’s support for her work.  It was built just for her class.

“They get to do what every other kid gets to do.  That’s really the only time we’re by ourselves, or when we are working in the classroom, we go out to lunch with the general population,” Drewrey said.

Drewrey will spend the next year teaching her students, and representing the state as teacher of the year.

Drewrey will get to visit the White House next spring and meet President Donald Trump.  She will also have a chance to win National Educator of the Year. She wants Mississippi teachers to share the good things happening in their classrooms with her. Her email is whitney.drewrey@gocommodores.org