Editor’s note: The following is the fourth in a series of profiles about Athens City Schools teachers who were named teacher of the year at their respective school. The teachers will be honored at an inaugural banquet set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in the ballroom of the Sandridge Student Center on the campus of Athens State University. Adult tickets are $25 and children 10 and under tickets are $15. Proceeds benefit the teachers and students of Athens City Schools. To purchase a ticket, contact Dr. Chris Hamilton at chris.hamilton@acs-k12.org or Ginger Hickman at ginger.hickman@acs-k12.org.

 

It’s difficult for adults to remember children must summon much courage and confidence to enter the classroom each school day, but when a child is also faced with a physical limitation, that confidence can be quickly sapped.

That’s where Susan Hughes steps in.

Hughes is a speech and language pathologist at Athens Elementary School. Her job is to help students in preschool through fourth grade who have been diagnosed with a speech or language impediment.

From the moment she began working in the field, she knew she wanted to help students succeed at school.

“I really love children and have just always enjoyed working with children and other adults with special needs,” Hughes told The News Courier. “I’ve been really thrilled with (working in ) the school setting.”

For her efforts, colleagues at the school named her as Athens Elementary’s Teacher of the Year. She is now in the running for the Elementary Teacher of the Year and Educator of the Year for Athens City Schools.

“I was very humbled and touched,” she said about the award. “It was very generous, very nice and hard to believe. There’s many more (teachers) I would’ve put ahead of me.”

Hughes started her career in Texas and worked at schools in Florida and finally Alabama as she and her husband, Dan, have moved around with his ministry work. Dan is the pastor of Emmanuel Baptist in Athens. The couple have three children, Danielle, Andrew and Beth.

She began working in speech pathology toward the end of her college education. She assists students who have difficulties with articulation, or trouble pronouncing a word, and issues with stuttering or problems with their voice.

There’s lots of ways to help these students and Hughes said she takes pride in watching them overcome obstacles.

“If they communicate better, their cognitive skills are able to be shown,” she explained. “It’s been very rewarding for me to properly meet their needs. They have to work hard.”

Hughes added her work would not be possible without the special education administration of Athens City Schools and the Athens City Schools Foundation, which provide financial and material support for her therapies.

“I think it’s a remarkable school district,” she said.

The Athens City Schools Teacher of the Year banquet will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15. For tickets and more information, contact the Athens City Schools Foundation at chris.hamilton@acs-k12.org or ginger.hickman@acs-k12.org.