By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Several teachers in the Alabaster City School System received some extra money for their classrooms and plenty of praise from their peers as they were honored as the best in their schools for the 2015-2016 year.

The city’s Teachers of the Year held the spotlight at the Alabaster Board of Education’s Jan. 11 meeting, as the School Board honored the top staff members chosen by committees at each city school.

“We want to recognize the real engine to the train that is our school system, and that is our teachers,” Alabaster School Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers said during the meeting. “We are so proud of them, and of all our teachers for doing outstanding work.”

During the 2015 fall semester, committees at each school nominated top teachers from Creek View Elementary, Meadow View Elementary, Thompson Intermediate, Thompson Sixth Grade Center, Thompson Middle and Thompson High schools.

The committees then submitted their nominations to the ACS central office, which then selected the school district’s top elementary and secondary Teachers of the Year.

Each school Teacher of the Year received a $100 classroom supply stipend. Those selected as the district’s top teachers received an extra $500 classroom supply stipend, and will move on to compete for state Teacher of the Year honors.

The following teachers were named tops in their school for the current school year:

-CVES: Special education teacher Chrissy Walsh

-MVES: Art teacher Melissa McMurray

-TIS: Fourth-grade teacher Ashley Vann

-TSGC: Social studies, reading and computer teacher Elise Skellie

-TMS: Eighth-grade social studies teacher Patricia Tauber

-THS: TV and Film Academy teacher Brooke Dennis

McMurray was named the school district’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, and Tauber was named the Secondary Teacher of the Year.

Dennis also was nominated by the district for the Jacksonville State University Teaching Hall of Fame’s 2016 class.