Radford University alumna is Teacher of the Year

Radford University School of Teacher Education and Leadership alumna Laura Nunley has been named Washington County Public Schools Elementary School Teacher of the Year for 2018.

Nunley is a special education teacher at Greendale Elementary School in Abingdon. She received the award at the Washington County Chamber of Commerce annual luncheon on Jan. 10 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center.

“I am truly honored to receive this award and never thought in a million years I would achieve such an honor in just 10 years of teaching,” said Nunley, who also was named her school’s Teacher of the Year in November.

Nunley graduated from Radford University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a concentration in elementary education, and a minor in special education.  

“I am proud that I earned my teaching degree from Radford University because the school has an exceptional reputation for producing extraordinary teachers,” Nunley said. “I was taught by a superb staff of professors that established knowledge, strategies and love that I have instilled in my classroom over the past 10 years.”

Radford University’s School of Teacher Education and Leadership (STEL) is part of the university’s College of Education and Human Development. The school has strong, established partnerships with public schools and its diverse programs prepare teachers and administrators to serve children from birth through grade 12.

STEL offers programs in early childhood/early childhood special education, elementary, middle, special education, gifted, deaf and hard of hearing, educational leadership, reading, science, math and social studies.

The school’s faculty have expertise and research agendas in areas such as high-impact teaching strategies, cultural responsiveness, instructional technology, globalization of the curriculum and interdisciplinary teaching.