HENRICO, Va. Dec. 18, 2023 — Henrico County Public Schools employs more than 4,000 teachers, but only one is honored each year with the school division’s Teacher of the Year Award. This year’s recipient is Jennie Por, who teaches early childhood education and preschool at the Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs.
Jennie Por is congratulated Monday at Springer Preschool Academy by Alicia Atkins, the School Board's Varina District representative, and Amy Cashwell, HCPS superintendent. The early childhood education and preschool teacher has taught at the Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs since 2018. |
Jennie Por celebrates with family members, HCPS leaders and students Monday at Springer Preschool Academy in Highland Springs. The early childhood education and preschool teacher has taught at the Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs since 2018. |
“This is the most incredible honor,” Por said at a surprise announcement Monday at the center’s Springer Preschool Academy building. “My heart is exploding right now.
“We strive to get our students life-ready, and we do that every single day. … I’m just so pleased to be able to represent the greatest county ever.”
Por was selected from five finalists — one from each of Henrico's magisterial districts — by a committee of administrators and educators using an interview and review process. Each finalist was also named their school’s teacher of the year. Each finalist writes several essays as part of the selection process. Por’s essay on public education called for policymakers, educators, parents and communities to address the root causes of inequity in public education.
She was also named the division’s 2023-24 Advanced Career Education Center Teacher of the Year and was recognized by Reynolds Community College in 2021 for her dedication to education. She is active in Educators Rising, a professional group dedicated to encouraging and mentoring future teachers.
Por joined the ACE Center at Highland Springs in 2018. She grew up in Chesterfield County and attended Virginia Tech, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in human development and early childhood education, and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She taught for three years as a substitute teacher in Buchanan County Public Schools before joining Henrico County Public Schools as a family and consumer science teacher at Fairfield Middle School. After three years at Fairfield, she became a teacher with HCPS Early Learning Preschool, working at Jacob Adams, Harold Ratcliffe and Echo Lake elementary schools before joining the Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs.
The Henrico Education Foundation will host a banquet at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in May to recognize the Teacher of the Year honorees from all HCPS schools, including the 2024 divisionwide Teacher of the Year finalists: Dennis Beck, a kindergarten teacher at Greenwood Elementary School; Olivia Johnston, a kindergarten teacher at Glen Lea Elementary School; Stacey Daub, a fourth grade teacher at Colonial Trail Elementary School; and Kate Striker, a social studies teacher at Douglas Freeman High School.