CHOCOWINITY — Penny Miller and Rufus Moore were chosen by their peers as recipients of the two top awards presented annually to Chocowinity Primary School staff.
The awards were presented by Principal Alicia Vosburgh during the end-of-the-year luncheon held June 11.
Miller is CPS’s new teacher of the year, and she will represent the school in the Beaufort County Schools’ teacher of the year selection process in the fall. A native of Pamlico County, Miller attended Milligan College in Tennessee for two years before finishing her studies at East Carolina University. She taught for four years in Craven County before leaving the profession temporarily to stay home with her young children for 12 years. She has been at CPS for 10 years and presently teaches kindergarten. She and her husband, Horace Miller, are the parents of three children: Caleb, Joshua and Sarah Beth.
“The most rewarding part of this job is watching the children grow in all areas … watching them be successful is a joy,” Miller said. She admitted she was surprised to hear her name announced as teacher of the year. “There are so many that deserve it more than I did,” she said. “There are so many great teachers here.”
Moore, a teacher assistant at CPS for two years, oversees the computer lab and assists with after-school remediation. A 1996 graduate of what-was-then Chocowinity High School, he furthered his studies at Elizabeth City State University. At CPS, Moore spends his days working with students from kindergarten through fourth grade, using academic websites to help them learn letters, reading and numbers. He is also involved with CPS’s Study Island program, which helps prepare students for end-of-grade testing. He and his wife, Latarsha Moore, are the parents of Elijah, Dlasia, Makayla and Kiera.
“I enjoy seeing the kids learn and seeing how well they have adapted to using technology, adapting it into their learning,” Moore said.