Tiffany Woodard named Teacher of the Year at Bridges Preparatory School in Beaufort
Tiffany Woodard, a veteran first-grade teacher, earned the honor of Teacher of the Year for Bridges Prep as voted on by her teaching colleagues.
Monday morning, Board of Directors Chair David Gault, Vice-Chair Tom Angelo, Interim Head of School Dr. Sherri Herbst, Principal John Kabel and K-2 Dean of Students Tim Drury presented Woodard with flowers, a congratulatory balloon, and card in front of her excited students.
“Tiffany is an exceptional teacher, truly dedicated to helping each child succeed, and we are so fortunate to have landed her when she and her family came to Beaufort,” Herbst said. “She makes Bridges a better place and we know from test scores that she helps Bridges student succeed.”
As Bridges Prep’s Teacher of the Year, Woodard’s next step will be to submit paperwork for S.C. Charter School District statewide Teacher of the Year. Her teaching peers at Bridges Prep voted her as the school’s Teacher of the Year.
“I was totally surprised when I found out about being named Teacher of the Year, mainly because I’ve only been at Bridges for not even two full years,” Woodard said. “I appreciate the honor and this is an amazing place to work and teach.”
Woodard earned her National Board Certification in teaching in 2011. She has worked at Bridges Prep since 2017 when she and her family moved to Beaufort after her husband was assigned Navy duty here. She began her teaching career in 2001.
“It is teachers such as Mrs. Woodard who make Bridges Prep such a wonderful place to teach and learn,” said David Gault, chair of the Bridges Board of Directors. “We are proud to have her helping our young students, and we congratulate her on this much-deserved recognition.”
Woodard is a graduate of Welch College in Nashville, TN. She is experienced in teaching elementary grades and with limited-English students. At a previous school, she co-chaired a professional development team tasked with training in Common Core state standards. She also worked with K-2 teachers to provide research-based assistance to academically-struggling students.
Woodard said she tries to make her classroom a friendly and encouraging place to learn.
“While I strive for order and discipline, I also give my students the freedom to explore and create and work together in collaborative teams. I understand that students learn from each other, so I plan activities where students can share ideas in small-group and whole-class settings,” she said.
“I work hard to create an environment where my students feel safe and free to express themselves without fear of ridicule. I motivate and challenge my students by creating and teaching lessons that are relevant, and by keeping them active and engaged,” Woodard said.
Bridges Preparatory School was chartered by South Carolina in mid-2012 and opened at near capacity in August 2013. Since then, enrollment has doubled, with more than 700 students enrolled in K-11 this year. Bridges will grow to K-12 in 2019-2020. Construction is underway on a new school in Port Royal.
As a state charter school, Bridges Prep is open to all students in the Lowcountry without tuition. Bridges Prep follows the Paideia principles of education: All children can learn and therefore they all deserve the same quality of schooling, not just the same quantity.
To learn more about Bridges Preparatory School, visit www.bridgesprep.org or call 843-982-7737.
Photo: Bridges Prep Teacher of the Year TiffanyWoodard (far right) surprised with flowers and balloons Monday by (l-r) Boundary Street Principal John Kabel, Board of Directors David Gault and Tom Angelo, and Interim Head of School Dr. Sherri Herbst.