By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A Valley Elementary School first-grade teacher’s work with her students and parents helped her earn top honors from her peers and the Teacher of the Month award from the Alabaster-Pelham Rotary Club.

VES teacher Cindy Bailey recently was named the school’s Teacher of the Year, and was named the Rotary Club’s Teacher of the Month during a Dec. 19 lunch. Bailey received a $250 donation from the Rotary Club, which she said will be used to purchase books for the school.

During the lunch, VES Principal Linda Campanotta said teachers at the school regularly leave notes complimenting Bailey and praising her for being sweet to children in her classroom and throughout the school.

Campanotta recently nominated Bailey for an Office Max teaching award, which allowed Bailey to win many items for her classroom.

“She was the first one I thought to nominate for that award,” Camapnotta said, noting Bailey is now eligible to receive the Shelby County School System’s Teacher of the Year award. “She does a phenomenal job with the students, the parents and the teachers.

“We are so proud she is representing us,” Campanotta said.