Dalton Public Schools -

Dalton Public Schools -

A Dalton Public Schools Teacher of the Year graphic celebrating Angie Edwards from Blue Ridge School. On the left side, bold red text reads "Teacher of the YEAR" above a red box with "#JAGUARS". On the right, a smiling woman with glasses wearing a vibrant, rainbow-striped poncho, a taco necklace, and a small mini sombrero hat holds a glass award plaque. The bottom section displays "EDWARDS" in large white lettering with "Angie" layered over it in red script, alongside the Dalton Public Schools logo and "Blue Ridge School".

Angie Edwards Named Blue Ridge School 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year

Ashley Grycz

August 12, 2026

Dalton Public Schools is proud to announce that Angie Edwards has been named Blue Ridge School's 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year.

Edwards teaches ESOL and EIP to students in grades K-5 at Blue Ridge School, where she has spent her entire 13-year teaching career. She began at Blue Ridge in February 2013 teaching fourth grade before moving into ESOL/EIP in August 2021. Edwards holds a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education with an ESOL Endorsement from Dalton State College, earned in 2012.

Edwards said teaching has been part of who she is for as long as she can remember.

"I cannot remember a time when I did not want to be a teacher. As a child, I made worksheets for my younger brother and sister and made them play school with me. I planned the lessons, checked their work, and probably took the whole thing much more seriously than they did."

Her move from the fourth-grade classroom into ESOL reshaped the way she approaches teaching, working with students across grade levels, proficiency levels, and stages of language development.

"One of the most important lessons I have learned is that a student can know much more than they are able to show in English. I have seen students understand a concept but struggle to explain it because they did not yet have the vocabulary. I have also watched students remain quiet for weeks or months and then slowly begin taking risks, raising their hands, and using their voices."

Edwards is especially proud of the ACCESS goal-setting process she developed, which connects students' language proficiency scores to WIDA "I Can" statements so they can see their strengths and understand what growth actually looks like in the classroom.

"That changed the conversations I had with students. English proficiency stopped being one vague goal and became something they could understand."

Edwards said the rewards of teaching are found in the small moments that represent significant growth.

"The rewards I find in teaching are often small moments that represent tremendous growth: a quiet student finally volunteering an answer, a child using academic vocabulary independently, or a student gaining enough confidence to speak without being afraid of making a mistake. Those moments matter because I know the effort behind them."

Beyond the classroom, Edwards has helped lead her fourth-grade team's annual sleepover to prepare students for the Georgia Milestones, supported Blue Ridge's newcomer after-school program for students learning to navigate a new school and community, and contributed to the school yearbook and other events that bring students, families, and staff together.

"After more than a decade at Blue Ridge, I see the school as much more than my workplace. It is the community where I have grown as a teacher, built lasting relationships, and invested a significant part of my life."

Dalton Public Schools congratulates Angie Edwards on being named Blue Ridge School's 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year and thanks her for the dedication she shows to students each day.