Andy Baumgartner
1999 National Teacher of the Year

Kindergarten
A. Brian Merry Elementary School, Augusta, Georgia
 M. Ed. North Georgia College & State University
1998 Georgia Teacher of the Year

'The biggest kick in teaching comes when I look into the face of a young child and watch confusion turn to concentration, concentration to surprise 
and, finally, surprise into the pride of accomplishment.'

Andy Baumbartner, 1999 National Teacher of the Year,
President William J. Clinton
The White House -- April 19, 1999

As a career teacher, the parent of a learning-disabled child, and a male teaching kindergarten students, Andy Baumgartner sees education from varied perspectives. These perspectives, driven by a passionate desire to effectively influence his students' early school experiences, have earned him the 1999 National Teacher of the Year honor.

Baumgartner was recognized this past April 19 by President Clinton in a White House ceremony, which also recognized the 1999 State Teachers of the Year. He was selected by the oldest and most prestigious awards program to focus public attention on teaching excellence, and which is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and Scholastic, Inc., the world's largest publisher of educational materials for children and young adults. Baumgartner, the first honoree to represent Georgia, begins a year as a full-time national and worldwide educational spokesperson on June 1.

In his 23 years of teaching, all in Georgia, Baumgartner has discovered that major educational issues fall into two categories: "successfully meeting the needs of each student and upgrading the public's perception of our integrity as a profession."

"Every student has a right to find some element of success in his or her school career, since this is most often the major prerequisite to finding success in life," he says. Likewise, teachers can enhance this goal by "demonstrating a high level of competency in our work while demanding more visible support from legislators, corporations and the general citizenry.

"We must educate others to our needs and to the needs of the students."

Baumgartner strives to meet and exceed these challenges. He listens, establishing continuous communication and rapport between students, parents and himself. He also works constantly to develop and maintain a supportive environment for very young learners.

 

 "A nurturing classroom and school involve an environment where students feel safe to converse with peers, teachers and visitors alike, and one that encourages adventure, exploration and discovery," Baumgartner says. Also, "it should be a place where each child's needs for understanding and attention are understood and met, where they feel loved and treasured, and where there is a definite set of boundaries that are clearly stated and consistently enforced.

"Most of all, though, it must be a happy place for everyone."

Being open to adjustment and change is necessary for an early childhood educator, Baumgartner says.

"Because young children are so active and their attention spans so short, I constantly switch channels and move to new activities. I attempt to replenish my 'bag of tricks' with a new idea, a new song or poem, a picture that holds meaning or stimulates ideas, a game I've seen, or a book someone has shared with me."

He gets the most enjoyment, though, by coming up with his own new ideas. "Sometimes they may seem a bit off the wall or too big to handle, but nothing tried is nothing gained."

Through this experimentation and change, Baumgartner's teaching grows each year, adding even more interest and excitement to his classroom experiences. 

"I am often amazed that I sometimes learn more from an activity that does not work as planned than one that does," he says. "This is one of the many important lessons I try to help my students discover."

"We are delighted that a person who wholeheartedly embraces the challenge of getting his students excited about daily accomplishments and who is dedicated to fostering respect for the teaching profession has been selected," said Ernest Fleishman, Senior Vice President for Education and Corporate Relations for Scholastic, Inc., a company seeking to elevate the status of teaching and honor professional excellence through its sponsorship.

Gordon Ambach, Executive Director of CCSSO, which houses the NTOY Program, is also excited by Baumgartner's selection.

"Andy's attention to his young students, his enthusiasm for their uniqueness and creativity, and his connection with their families merit his recognition as a national representative of teachers," Ambach says.

 Baumgartner was born in Anniston, AL, on August 21, 1952 and was raised in Hickory, NC, and Macon and Savannah, GA. After graduating in 1970 from H.V. Jenkins High School in Savannah, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and received an Honorable Discharge. Baumgartner was graduated from the University of Georgia in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Speech and Language Pathology. He holds a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from North Georgia College. He began his career as a Kindergarten through twelfth-grade speech therapist; however, after finding he preferred one school to working with many schools, he changed to teaching upon receiving his Masters degree two years later.

Baumgartner was a speech therapist for the Gilmer County Public School System from 1976-78; taught Kindergarten for the Chatham County/Savannah City Public School System from 1978-81; and, since 1982, has taught at three schools in the Richmond County Public School System, including A. Brian Merry Elementary School since 1995. He also was employed as an early childhood consultant during the 1981-82 school year for the Middle Georgia Cooperative Educational Services Agency.