Robbins Elementary School Principal Heather Seawell was named Moore County’s 2009-2010 Principal of the Year, while West Pine Middle music teacher Marci Houseman was named its Teacher of the Year.

The Moore County school system announced the awards in a pair of news releases. Both were recognized at a ceremony.

Seawell is a 12-year veteran of the district, starting out as a fifth-grade teacher. She is a past recipient of the N.C. Science Teacher Association Student Teacher of the Year.

Within four years of entering the classroom, she earned her National Board Certification. After teaching for five years, she was accepted as a N.C. Principal Fellow at UNC Chapel Hill and began as an administrative intern at New Century Middle, West Pine Middle, and North Moore High.  In 2005, she received her MSA and began as assistant principal at Robbins Elementary and Elise Middle School.

The selection of the Principal of the Year is made by the school district's 22 principals. Seawell will now go on to compete against principals from 11 other counties for Regional Principal of the Year. A State Principal of the Year will then be chosen from the eight Regional Principals of the Year.

Houseman has taught for almost 11 years, three of which have been in her present position.

Houseman will now go on to represent Moore County in regional competition. Regional winners compete for State Teacher of the Year, which will be announced early next year.

Named as alternate Teacher of the Year was Solomon Dixon, a health and physical education teacher from Southern Middle School.

The Alternate Teacher of the Year will serve in a back-up capacity in the event the Teacher of the Year is unable to serve.

Individual school Teachers of the Year were also recognized. They are Amy Kirk, Aberdeen Elementary; Cynthia Lawhon, Aberdeen Primary; Jeanne Aiman, Academy Heights Elementary; Heidi Oxendine, Cameron Elementary; Mandy Nall, Carthage Elementary; Rachel Lewis, Elise Middle; Beth Massey, Highfalls Elementary;

Corinne Walls, New Century Middle School; Mike Brady, North Moore High; Pat Cheek, Pinckney Academy; Kristen Blue, Pinecrest High; Cathie Ward, Pinehurst Elementary; Martha Lewkowicz, Robbins Elementary School; Shelby Wooten, Sandhills Farm Life Elementary; Christine Leo, Southern Pines Elementary; Angie Meadows, Southern Pines Primary; Sarah Bright, Union Pines High; Vivian Lages, Vass-Lakeview Elementary; Anita Mashburn, West End Elementary; and Keely Ellis, Westmoore Elementary School.

For more on this story, see the Wednesday print edition of The Pilot.