Belle Point Center in Fort Smith typically holds awards ceremonies for its students every quarter, but in October 2020, a special surprise ceremony ended up being for teacher Susanna Post, ’17.
Post, a math and business teacher and a University of Central Arkansas alumna, was named the 2021 Arkansas Teacher of the Year. When she saw her students, fellow teachers, district leaders, family, Fort Smith
Mayor George McGill, and state Department of Education Secretary and Commissioner Johnny Key at the ceremony, she realized the event was for her.
“It is so exciting to think about the opportunity that is before me,” Post said. “The ATOY family has been so kind and encouraging and has helped me understand that this isn’t a one-year thing. Once you become an ATOY, you spend the rest of your career in a leadership role. For now, though, this title brings with it an immense responsibility to represent the teachers and students of Arkansas during an incredibly challenging time.”
In her five years of teaching, Post has taught grades nine through 12. She teaches a variety of subjects: algebra I and II, geometry, Quantitative Literacy, Oral Communication, Computer Business Applications, Banking and Finance, Survey of Business and Literacy Intervention.
“It can be a lot of prep time, but I love the variety,” she said.
Before Post became a teacher, her school career started at University of Arkansas where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and minored in computer science. After she graduated, she worked in the oil and gas industry in Texas for nearly five years before returning to Arkansas with her family. While working in the industry in Arkansas, she began helping with home-schooled students and began teaching geometry and algebra II to students. She decided to go back to school in 2017 and earn her Master of Arts in Teaching at UCA.
Post was first nominated for Fort Smith Teacher of the Year by her principal, Tony Jones. When she received the title, she was able to apply for Arkansas Teacher of the Year. She then became a regional finalist, then state semi-finalist, and was ultimately awarded with the 2021 Arkansas Teacher of the Year title.
She loves to make a difference in her students’ lives, no matter if she is able to teach in person or through a webcam because of COVID-19. Luckily, Post was already accustomed to students learning on online platforms and knows how to keep students engaged through the pandemic. She created a system to keep the students engaged and give them the sense of responsibility of their own actions and learning. She lays out her expectations and gives the students the responsibility to take their learning and actions into their hands. She gives the students someone that believes in them and in return, they make the most of the class.
As part of being Arkansas Teacher of the Year, Post received a $14,000 award and will take a paid sabbatical during the 2021-22 school year in hopes to visit schools in every county of Arkansas.
“I feel that my chosen platform is exactly what people across the state of Arkansas need to hear about right now,” she said. “I will be speaking primarily about what teachers can do to bridge the empathy gap, which I believe precedes other gaps often cited as ultimately responsible for the achievement gap we see among students.”
Written by: Emma Fodor