LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Angela Carlton was nominated by Angie Clark, the parent of a student.

"I truly believe Mrs. Carlton was a LifeChanger for my son and his entire class this past year," said Clark. "With COVID-19 causing virtual learning for most of the year, Mrs. Carlton rose to the challenge and did a wonderful job with her students. Because I was working at home, and my child, Jack, was sitting right next to me doing virtual school, I got to see, hear, and participate in his daily activities, which I'm normally not privy to. I was constantly in awe of how Mrs. Carlton conducted her classes, nurtured the children, and provided an atmosphere that fostered learning and made the kids feel safe. I believe she is very worthy of this award."

As a virtual teacher, Mrs. Carlton dealt with her own technology issues, as well as all of the students' issues. Every time a student had trouble with the view, sound, or a glitch, Mrs. Carlton was patient and kind. She would advise the student on what to do and how to do it. She never, ever lost her cool.

"I honestly don't know how she did it," said Clark. "Mrs. Carlton was always very patient with my son, who had a new Chromebook. Everything was stiff, and in the fall, it took forever for the mouse to react and for things to really click for him. She was always understanding and kind."

"I also loved how she treated her students with respect and compassion and encouraged them to do the same," said Clark. "I'm sure she's the same in the classroom, but it was very reassuring to me, as a parent, to hear how she conducted her class. She never got exasperated having to repeat herself multiple times, several times a day.  She did a lot of breaks for kids using Go Noodle so the kids could take a break and move their bodies. Mrs. Carlton would let some students answer questions, and she also called on students to answer questions. My son tends to be shy so he often will not volunteer, but will answer if called upon."

"I feel that Mrs. Carlton really cares about all of her students," said Clark. "She wanted everyone to understand lessons, ask questions, and be involved. She would always answer my questions or concerns via text/app/email. Mrs. Carlton would provide guidance if my son was struggling with a topic. I am sure she was being bombarded by other parents, but she made our family feel as if we were getting the best response/assistance and that we were never bothering her."

"To sum it up, I feel like Mrs. Carlton is very deserving of this award," said Clark. "Her kind nature, genuine concern for the children, and great teaching ability is an asset to her school and district. Any child who will be lucky enough to have her as a teacher going forward will be lucky. I wish we could take her with us to third grade!"