Congratulations to the Piedmont Area Reading Teacher of the Year, Caitlin Pugh

The Piedmont Chapter of VSLA has selected this year's Reading Teacher of the Year, Caitlin Pugh from Robert S. Payne Elementary with Lynchburg City Schools. Caitlin has been with LCS for fourteen years. Her experience has been in the regular classroom grades 1, 3, and 4 as well as reading specialist for the past three years. 

Caitlin has a bachelor of science in education and a masters in reading education from the University of Lynchburg. Caitlin has always been passionate about reading (personally and professionally), so it was a natural path for her career to pursue licensure as a reading specialist. She has a strong love of her students and her school. She was fortunate to be able to transition into a reading specialist position there. Throughout her tenure at Payne, instilling a love of reading has been her mission. She loves collaborating with her colleagues and helping them broaden their knowledge of reading instruction too.

During this unusual year, Caitlin has been a huge asset to her school. Currently, she’s planning a reading strategies Zoom PD for parents of our fourth grade students. The space will also provide the parent and child with guiding reading practice. Earlier this year, Ms. Pugh selected and ordered books for students for hybrid and remote learning. She has coordinated school book pick up times for families, and she's created unique reading resources for students and families titled “Family, Food, and Fun. This resource provided the kids with a vibrant learning space for families, virtual reading materials, easy recipes, and crafts.

Outside of school, Caitlin enjoys teaching dance classes at Forest Dance Academy. She's been working with the kids there for the past fifteen years.

Congratulations Caitlin, and we thank you for your dedication to your kids and this profession!