Atlanta Public Schools announced its three finalists for teacher of the year.

The district named three “Excellence in Teaching” finalists, who will be recognized at an Oct. 29 ceremony. One teacher of the year will be selected from the three finalists, and that person will go on to compete for the title of 2021 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

The state's current top teacher is Atlanta teacher Tracey Pendley. 

The three APS teacher of the year finalists are Amanda Larkin, Kamilah Rose Pettway and Krissi Davis.

Larkin is a teacher at Sarah Smith Elementary. She’s worked for APS for 12 years and has taught third and fifth grades and English as a Second Language.

Pettway teaches eighth grade language and literature at King Middle School.

Davis is the Grady High School orchestra director and previously taught at Sutton Middle School.

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Kate Sharer, Biotechnology Teacher and iGEM Advisor, instructs her students at Lambert High School in Forsyth County in December 2024. Forsyth County Schools had the highest average ACT composite score of any district in Georgia for the graduating class of 2025. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

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Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com