Lisa Richardson named Teacher of the Year for Indian River School District

Lisa Richardson of Millsboro Middle School has been selected as the Indian River School District's Teacher of the Year for 2017-18. The announcement was made at the district's annual Teacher of the Year celebration April 26. Richardson was chosen as the district's overall winner from a pool of 16 candidates, one from each school.

Richardson has been a reading teacher at Millsboro Middle School since 2010. She was previously on the staff of East Millsboro Elementary School, where she served as a second-grade teacher from 2000-10 and a first-grade special education teacher in 1996-97. She was East Millsboro's Teacher of the Year in 2010-11. Richardson was also a second-grade teacher at Long Neck Elementary School from 1997-2000 and a second-grade special education teacher at Frankford Elementary School from 1994-96.

Richardson holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Old Dominion University and a master's degree in education from Wilmington University.

During her seven years at Millsboro Middle School, Richardson has been a member of the Instructional Leadership Team, an English Language Arts department chair, a teacher mentor, a Vision 2015 member and an IRSD middle school curriculum writer. She has also been an English Language Learners resource teacher, a Scholastic administrator and a member of the One School One Book committee, school safety team and CARE team.

"When you walk into Mrs. Richardson's classroom, you immediately feel a sense of confidence that stems from the welcoming environment she has created, one where she exudes the confidence that we are all in this together and that failure is not an option," said Millsboro Middle School Principal Renee Jerns. "On a daily basis, you will find Mrs. Richardson and her students engaged in reading and writing tasks applicable to the real world in an extremely well-structured environment of high expectations. Without a doubt, Mrs. Richardson embodies the very qualities all administrators search for in master teachers."

"Lisa embodies the strength and character of the Indian River School District," said former IRSD administrator Gary Brittingham. "She is a teacher with a broad background of knowledge and experiences in the teaching profession. Lisa has been able to combine what her years of successful experience has shown her to work with what research in best teaching practice has shown raises student achievement. This formula has proven successful for her and the Indian River School District.

"Her story is in many ways the story of the Indian River School District. She is a product of our school district who returned to give back, and has done that in many capacities and done it well. Both inside and outside the classroom, she is and has been a role model for others. Every school and district needs a Lisa Richardson," said Brittingham, who was East Millsboro Elementary School principal during Richardson's 12 years on the school staff.

Teacher of the Year winners from each district school are Dori Camper, Southern Delaware School of the Arts; Ashley Collins, North Georgetown Elementary School; Laurie Hall, Phillip C. Showell Elementary School; Linda Hockman, Georgetown Kindergarten Center; Noel Lenhart, G.W. Carver Academy; Nicole Morey, Georgetown Elementary School; Jill Oliva, Sussex Central High School; Thomas Peet, Howard T. Ennis School; Irene Retzos, John M. Clayton Elementary School; Justin Stoeckel, East Millsboro Elementary School; Danielle Squillante, Long Neck Elementary School; Jennifer Taylor, Georgetown Middle School; Meredith Wallace, Selbyville Middle School; Allison Walt, Indian River High School; and Jill Young, Lord Baltimore Elementary School.

As the district's Teacher of the Year, Richardson is now eligible for the state Teacher of the Year Award, which will be announced in October.