Featured image: Cedar Ridge Superintendent Tracey Owens (left), District Teacher of the Year David Ward, and Cedar Ridge Elementary Principal Corey Johnson.
The Cedar Ridge School District has honored a longtime educator as District Teacher of the Year.
David Ward, an alternative education teacher at Cedar Ridge Elementary, received the honor after the administration surprised him in his classroom with balloons, cupcakes, a gift basket, and a check sponsored by Merchants and Planters Bank, a release from the school district said.
Ward, who has 26 years of teaching experience – with 12 years in the district, grew up in the Charlotte area and attended Cord-Charlotte Public Schools. Ward joined the Arkansas National Guard at the age of 17 and graduated from Arkansas State University with a degree in social sciences.
“Teaching in an alternative classroom has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” Ward said in a release. In 2014, his classroom was awarded the Carolyn Pollard Award of Improvement through Academic Interventions.
In 2015, they were again recognized for having the top five Alternative Education scores on the ACT Aspire. Ward’s classroom was designated a Model Classroom for the state by the Arkansas Department of Education in 2016. He went on to be awarded the Arkansas Alternative Education Program Director of the Year in 2017 and made a presentation to an Arkansas Department of Education meeting in 2019.
“I love my job and feel so blessed to get to work with the kids that come to my program,” said Ward. “I am thankful for the time I have had with this district and believe that we can continue to change lives and impact our community.”
Image: Cedar Ridge School District
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