Earlier this month, Mrs. Ridewood, teacher and co-chair of the Exception Children Department, was presented with a red blazer and balloons that introduced her as the next Page Teacher of the Year. Last year, English teacher Mr. Rogers received the first red blazer in honor of Mr. Clendenin, former principal of Page, to recognize his distinguished role as a teacher, but this year a new staff member was given the honor. Congratulations to Mrs. Ridewood, 2020-2021 Page High Teacher of the Year!

Mrs. Ridewood has been at Page for three years, but before coming here, she worked at two other schools in Guilford County and Davidson County. Before Page, she also took a few years off from teaching so that she could visit her husband who worked in Turkey. 

When asked why she became a teacher for the EC Department, Mrs. Ridewood said, “I wanted to be able to have an impact in the lives of struggling students every day. I wanted to be able to celebrate the small victories with parents and caregivers. Being an EC teacher means I can step out and be an advocate for students and this goes beyond classroom duties and academics.  Being a special education teacher is so rewarding…An EC teacher gets to see firsthand the student’s accomplishments, being part of something they never thought they could do.” However, like most students and teachers, she has felt the difficulties of online learning. Whether it is issues with the internet, the undersupply of computers, or a lack of motivation, teachers and students have had to overcome many problems with online learning. Mrs. Ridewood wants to do more to help her students, but it has been tough without seeing them face-to-face. 

Mrs. Ridewood said that it was a great honor to be recognized by her peers. She never imagined that she would achieve the honor, even after being told that she was in the top two. Page’s newest Teacher of the Year ended the interview with a note to her students: “I miss you all every single day, and I look forward to seeing you all back in the classroom very soon.”