The Arkansas Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts, an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English, awarded four Arkansas educators as 2009 English Teachers of the Year at the Arkansas Curriculum Conference in November 2009. These awards are given to honor Arkansas educators of English language arts each year at the elementary, middle school, high school, and college levels.
Sherry Jones, a teacher at Grace Hill Elementary in Rogers, has been named the 2009 Arkansas Elementary English Teacher of the Year. Andrea McKenna, a teacher at J.O. Kelly Middle School in Springdale, has been named the 2009 Arkansas Middle School English Teacher of the Year. Cathy Hayes, a teacher at Central High School in Little Rock, has been named the 2009 Arkansas High School Teacher of the Year. Dr. Stephanie Vanderslice, an associate professor at the University of Central Arkansas, has been named the 2009 Arkansas Higher Education English Teacher of the Year.