Two District Five teachers got a very special surprise this week, as the District announced it's 2023-24 Distinguished Literacy Teachers of the Year! Janelle Murr and Lea Elizabeth Harrison have been named the Elementary and Secondary Distinguished Literacy Teachers of the Year, respectively. Murr is a 2nd grade teacher at Duncan Elementary School of the Arts, and Harrison teaches English at Byrnes High School.
District Five Superintendent Dr. Randall Gary surprised both teachers with the exciting news earlier this week.
The Distinguished Literacy Teacher is an award presented each year by the Spartanburg County chapter of the Palmetto State Literacy Association. Each school district in the county can nominate one elementary and one secondary teacher for the recognition every year. Both Murr and Harrison were nominated by their schools, and then selected following a district interview process. They will now advance to the next level of the competition, where they'll be considered along with other educators from across Spartanburg County.
Congratulations to Janelle Murr and Lea Elizabeth Harrison!