Thomas Bussey of Hapeville Elementary School, Curriculum Associates Extraordinary Educator Class of 2024

Leaving the comforts of elementary school behind and entering the unknown of middle school can cause some apprehension in 5th graders, unless you are a student of teacher Thomas Bussey. His classes at Hapeville Elementary School are designed to instill student confidence and bring instruction to life.

Each year, Curriculum Associates honors extraordinary educators who meet very high standards in student achievement, demonstrate innovative and engaging classroom practices, and champion equity. Bussey, a fifth grade English/Language Arts teacher, was one of three educators to earn this distinction in the state of Georgia and be recognized by the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE).

The criteria includes having taught for two years, experience with i-Ready software, illustration of student growth and achievement through milestone testing, demonstration of classroom innovation, and being a champion of every child’s educational needs. Mr. Bussey surpasses the criteria by a wide margin.

His classroom is full of images and exercises that inspire students. If they are into Pokémon that year, he watches cartoons like a coach studying strategic plays for successful learning. And yes, he puts on the costumes of relatable characters to teach.

If competition helps them learn and retain, he turns his classroom into a racetrack and each student into a car that must answer questions correctly to get across the finish line. His teaching style is unique to each student. He knows their birthdays, attends their extracurricular activities, and discovers what makes them tick.

“Mr. Bussey embodies that one thing that makes the students smile and want to attend class. He focuses on the human first and instruction second,” says Hapeville Elementary Principal Christian Padgett.

“He reflects the Hapeville Hawks #wherethemagichappens,” adds LaTrece Thomas, Curriculum Support teacher (CST). “He lives it.”

Bussey believes every data point tells a story. He displays Lexile scales on the walls for students to visualize their reading goals. He leverages insights from i-Ready and his own personal experiences in building relationships with students to determine the most effective path for helping them master grade-level standards. He doesn’t lower the bar. He raises the student.

After 15 years of teaching and serving as an assistant principal for some of that time, he sums up his classroom culture in three words – rigorous, engaging and fun. Students have their own secret handshake and experience learning in a way that carries them positively into the future. Bussey will be one of those teachers a student never forgets.