The Lillie F. Fitzgerald Excellence in Teaching Award was announced last week by Dr. Rodney Fitzgerald at the Cleveland and Bradley County school systems gatherings.

Given to honor the memory of his mother, a consummate teacher at Bradley Central High School, the 2010 Award winner is the homebound teacher for Cleveland City Schools — Victoria Dawn Pritchard.

Pritchard, who began her teaching career in 1997, has found her perfect niche working with families and students who cannot, for one reason or another, attend school but must be taught in their home, hospitals, or wherever their difficult circumstances find them.

She inspires confidence as an advocate for her students, understanding the “power of praise, knowing when to proceed, when to pause, when to criticize.”

She operates on the philosophy that “every child has a right to be educated, cared for, and treated with respect and dignity.”

Pritchard reaches beyond the subject matter she teaches to search for solutions to student or family needs when they becomes evident.

An exceptionally compassionate person who always thinks of others first, she has been described by other professionals as one who sets high expectations for students but even higher ones for herself. She diligently works to keep good relationships with fellow teachers, students, and parents, viewing partnership as the essential component that influences student development.

The Award’s namesake, Lillie Frank Fitzgerald, had a distinguished teaching career in English and speech at Bradley Central High School for 37 years. As a dedicated teacher, Fitzgerald gained a communitywide reputation from her students and colleagues for excellence in and a passion for teaching.

During her teaching tenure, she initiated a club for future teachers, an academic honors banquet recognizing students for their academic achievement and developed the college preparatory English program.

Nominated by several of her former students, she was inducted into the Tennessee Teachers’ Hall of Fame in 1995.