At a recent banquet, Newport News Public Schools recognized all of the 2017-2018 Teachers of the Year, and announced the elementary, middle, high school and NNPS Teacher of the Year.
The Division and Elementary School Teacher of the Year is April Dawson, a fourth-grade talented and gifted teacher at General Stanford Elementary School. Dawson has 15 years of experience in education - all in Newport News. Dawson serves as a model teacher for educators new to the profession, the fourth-grade lead teacher at General Stanford and a National Elementary Honor Society Advisor. She holds a Bachelor's degree in childhood psychology from Christopher Newport University and she holds endorsements in elementary and gifted education. As Division Teacher of the Year, Dawson is now a candidate for the state Teacher of the Year.
Patrice Lambusta, a librarian and lead writing teacher at Passage Middle School, is the Middle School Teacher of the Year. Lambusta has 16 years of experience in education. After graduating from college, she served as a third-grade teacher for a year and then worked for a technology company. She returned to teaching and served as an English teacher before becoming a librarian. Lambusta earned a Bachelor's degree in elementary education from Rowan University and a Master's degree in library media from Longwood University.
Robert Mompoint is a school counselor at Denbigh High School. He has 17 years of experience in education and prior to becoming a school counselor, he served as a special education teacher for a middle school and a high school. Mompoint serves as a coordinator for GEAR UP, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, and as chairperson of the NNPS School Counseling Advisory Committee. He holds a Bachelor's degree in physical recreation from Hampton University and a Master's degree in severe disabilities and community counseling from Norfolk State University.
More information on the Teachers of the Year, as well as a list of the Teachers of the Year from each school, can be found on the
Newport News Public Schools website.