LTVEC Honors Loudon County Schools Exemplary Educators at Awards Banquet

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Little Tennessee Valley Educational Cooperative (LTVEC) hosted our annual Awards Banquet to honor exceptional local educators on Thursday, January 17, 2019 at at Kinfolk Farms in Lenoir City. “This event was a time to celebrate over 47 years of services from Little Tennessee Valley Educational Cooperative. More importantly, we were celebrating our outstanding educators in the East Tennessee region. The amazing work they do each day in the classrooms, the schools, and the community makes East Tennessee an outstanding place to live, to work and to grow,” said LTVEC executive director, Pam Potocik.

Two deserving educators from Loudon County Schools were honored with the Exemplary Educator Recognition Award for Dedication to Excellence in Education: Lana Costner, Loudon High School Special Education Paraprofessional and Julia Bunch, Loudon County Schools Central Office Special Education Administrative Assistant.

When selecting Lana Costner for the award, Loudon County Schools Special Education Supervisor Melanie Amburn wrote, “Lana is the stabilizing factor in the CDC class at Loudon High School. She is an amazing instructor as well as having ownership of the kindest heart we know. Her consistent care and work ethic change the dynamics daily of the classroom.”

“She has been an integral part of our faculty at Loudon High School and probably the longest tenured person in the special ed department overall. We truly appreciate her dedication,” said Loudon High School Pricipal Cheri Parrish at the awards banquet. “You don’t mess with her kids! If you do, you’re in trouble and you’ll know it quickly.”

“Julia was a paraprofessional in speech education at Highland Park before taking the job as administrative assistant to the special education supervisor. She brings unique care and concern for students to this job. She is organized, efficient, and brings joy and kindness to all she encounters. Her warmth with parents and listening ear to teachers is invaluable,” said Melanie Amburn, Loudon County Schools Special Education Supervisor.

About LTVEC: Founded in 1971, Little Tennessee Valley Educational Cooperative (LTVEC) is a public nonprofit agency formed by local school systems in East Tennessee. The agency is governed by a board of directors including member school system directors, school board members, and county commissioners. LTVEC promotes collaboration among member school systems to develop needed educational services in the region. The cooperative provides a variety of services to member and non-member school systems in East Tennessee and throughout the state.

LTVEC provides the following services: the AT Center, which provides assistive technologies (AT) that can help reduce barriers to learning for students with disabilities that affect physical, cognitive and/or communication skills; the Birth-to-Three Program, which is a nationally recognized program that provides early intervention services to infants and toddlers and education and support to their families; the Extended Learning Program, which provides before and after-school programs that focus on hands-on learning, community involvement, STEM activities, daily tutoring, and physical fitness opportunities; and, School Support Services, which provide vision services, speech, occupational, and physical therapy.