Staci Butts addresses those in attendance at the February St. Clair BOE meeting when she was recognized as Teacher of the Year.
Staci Butts in the classroom at Ashville High School, the only school she has taught at during her 14-year career. She was recently named the Secondary Teacher of the Year for the St. Clair County School System.
A 1990 graduate of Etowah High School, Butts said she did not want to be a school teacher right out of high school, but rather an attorney.
She earned a political science degree from Jacksonville State University and minored in business administration, thinking she was going to law school.
It was during her senior year at JSU that West End needed a cheerleader sponsor.
“They called and wanted to know if I would help,” Butts said. “I started helping and just decided that’s what I wanted to do and fell in love with teaching.”
Butts went back to JSU and earned her master’s degree in social science in 1997.
Butts said this was an unbelievable honor.
“I know we have so many great teachers, not only here at Ashville, but all over this county,” she said. “To be named teacher of the year is such an honor. The biggest thing is just to be nominated. The faculty here nominated me to compete against other teachers in the county, and that is such a huge honor.”
Butts teaches government, economics, psychology and sociology
Ashville High School principal Jason Baker said this is a fantastic honor for Butts.
“We’re privileged to have her as a teacher,” Baker said. “Some of her best characteristics are that she is very interactive with the elementary school, she does junior achievement with seniors and she sponsors Future Teachers of Alabama. She does so much for the education profession. She does several field trips a year that gives students extra opportunities to do something outside the school.”
Butts and her husband John have been married 22 years. He is a teacher/coach at Etowah High School. They have one son, TJ, age 21.
Contact Gary Hanner at ghanner@thestclairtimes.com.
