City Schools Decatur recently named longtime Decatur High instructor Jenna Black as its Teacher of the Year, chosen from nine finalists representing each individual city school.
Black has taught family and consumer sciences at Decatur High for 31 years. In 1990 she began teaching early childhood education and a year later opened the Frasier Center Lab School. Initially Frasier was a child development center focused on the children of teens, with a goal of keeping teen parents in school and reducing the teen pregnancy rate.
In 1996 Frasier had the children of 46 teen parents and today there are none. Today most of its children are the offspring of CSD staffers and teachers. Black said her own role has shifted to more as a mentor to young parents and teachers, with particular emphasis on balancing work and home life.
The other eight finalists: Angela Gabriel at the College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center, Natalie Bundschu at Clairemont Elementary, Susanna Shewan at Glennwood Elementary, Cindy Aldridge at Oakhurst Elementary, Allison Mansfield at Westchester Elementary, Kim Houston at Winnona Park Elementary, Julie McFaddin at the 4/5 Academy at Fifth Avenue and Jessica Sturm at Renfroe Middle School.
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