Carol Rich was named the 2025 Division Teacher of the Year at the Fluvanna County Public Schools (FCPS) school board meeting on Dec. 11. Rich was chosen for the honor by a committee of administrators and staff who considered a roster of four school-level Teachers of the Year selected by their peers.

“What a great privilege it is to honor Carol Rich. She is an exceptional teacher and team member and she exemplifies the shared values of the FLUCO community every day,” said Superintendent Dr. Peter Gretz.

Rich is the Special Education Lead Teacher at FCHS. A press release from FCPS notes the following about her:

She consistently engages in professional development and takes the initiative to train and support colleagues. She works closely with the special education department, is receptive, and thinks of solutions that benefit the individual student. She holds a master’s degree in special education. Her colleagues describe her as “a patient, kind, informative, supportive, knowledgeable, and a devoted advocate for our students.

Rich has been working with Fluvanna County Public Schools for 18 years.

At the Dec. 11 meeting, the school board also recognized the three other school-level Teachers of the Year for 2024-2025:

Kristen Pittman, Central Elementary, Grade 2 Teacher
Julie Carrier, Carysbrook Elementary, Special Education Teacher
Melanie Kennedy, Fluvanna Middle School, Language Arts Teacher