During the May 27 Board of Education meeting, Sampson County Schools announced their top four finalists for Teacher of the Year: Hayley Johnson, kindergarten teacher at Union Elementary School; Summerlyn Faircloth, career and technical education (CTE) teacher at Lakewood High School; Tiffany Starling, math teacher at Sampson Early College High School; and Courtney Stroud, math teacher at Midway High School. Each of these educators was recognized for their dedication and commitment to student success.
Congratulations to Summerlyn Faircloth, who was announced as the 2025-26 Sampson County Schools Teacher of the Year.
Faircloth has spent her entire 22-year teaching career with Sampson County Schools, beginning in 2003 as a CTE business teacher at Union Middle School. In 2005, she transferred to Lakewood High School, where she has taught ever since.
“My passion is counseling and mental health, bringing real-life learning into the classroom and helping students prepare for their future,” Faircloth said. “I lead with a heart for students and a focus on community, connecting schools and students to the broader community.”
Faircloth’s professional experiences include serving as a board member for the Sampson County Convention and Visitors Bureau and as vice president of the Western Sampson Commerce Group. At Lakewood, she serves as a teacher representative on the Instructional Leadership Team and as a member of the School Improvement Team.
Sampson County Schools also announced their administrators of the year at the board meeting. Martina Alex Stonerock, assistant principal of Midway Elementary School; Tiffany Holland, assistant principal of Midway Middle School; and Charles “Chip” Pollock, assistant principal of Midway High School, were named finalists for assistant principal of the year.
Congratulations to Chip Pollock, who was announced as the 2025-26 Sampson County Schools Assistant Principal of the Year.
Rounding out the administrators of the year, Edward Holmes, principal of Hargrove Elementary School; Nicole Peterson, principal of Midway Middle School; and Gaynor Hammond, principal of Midway High School, were the three finalists for principal of the year.
Congratulations to Gaynor Hammond, who was announced as the 2025-26 Sampson County Schools Principal of the Year.
Teachers of the Year finalists
Summerlyn Faircloth, Teacher of the Year
Assistant Principals of the Year finalists
Charles "Chip" Pollock, Assistant Principal of the Year
Principals of the Year finalists
Gaynor Hammond, Principal of the Year