SANFORD, NC - Ashley Melpolder, a preschool teacher at Floyd L. Knight, The Children’s Center, was surprised on Tuesday with the news that she has been selected as Lee County Schools’ Teacher of the Year for 2024-2025. District leadership and community partners were on hand in front of the faculty at Floyd L. Knight for a special staff meeting to break the news.
She is the first Pre-K teacher to be honored with the Teacher of the Year Award for Lee County Schools. Melpolder is the first preschool teacher to receive this award in the district and the first to win while teaching at Floyd L. Knight.
“Honestly, it was a shock, just truly a surprise. I work with some of the most incredible educators and to be recognized in that way was just amazing,” said Melpolder, still trying to wrap her mind around the award.
Melpolder has been teaching preschool at Floyd L. Knight for the past four years after spending one year teaching in a different district. “I firmly believe that I can connect with each child, with each family. I focus on bringing home into the classroom and helping families understand that their opinions matter in the educational process of their child.”
In true pre-K fashion, she wrapped up her philosophy by saying, “I believe that learning should be messy, hands-on, and memorable.”
“The students in her room truly love her. They respect her. Families are involved and active. It is because she just gets the best out of people,” emphasized Floyd L. Knight Principal Jennifer Allen. “Pre-K learning is so critical to what students achieve when they go off to elementary school. Having a teacher like Mrs. Melpolder really helps lay a foundation for success for every student in her classroom, regardless of the circumstances or challenges they may face.”
Melpolder’s passion for serving children in the community shines bright even outside her profession at Floyd L. Knight. She is PTO Store President, President of the PTO at W.B. Wicker Elementary School, a Girl Scout Leader, as a member of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Team and Resiliency Team at Floyd Knight.
“If you spend any time around Mrs. Melpolder, it quickly becomes evident why she is such a critical part of so many community and school organizations,” said Dr. Chris Dossenbach, Superintendent of Lee County Schools. “Everything she does and takes part in is focused on doing something great for the children in this community or in her classroom and school. She is an incredible asset to our school community and we are honored to be able to recognize her as Teacher of the Year for Lee County Schools.”
While always busy with community events and teaching commitments, Melpolder will be able to get to those duties in style as Wilkinson Chevrolet Buick GMC gifted her a one-year lease on a brand new GMC Terrain Denali. Additionally, 3D Community Church gave her a $500 award to put some gas in her new car.
“Students have to be taught acceptance and kindness. They only learn those things by being taught and seeing it modeled. There’s no magical formula to make it happen,” Melpolder explained. “Teaching is difficult, but it really is rewarding. What I love about what we do at Floyd Knight is we spend so much of our time helping our students learn there is a place at the table for everyone.”