Matt Foster, a social studies teacher and department chair at Cedartown Middle School, was named the district’s Educator of the Year during the Polk County Board of Education’s Sept. 8 meeting.
Foster, a Cedartown native and Cedartown High School graduate, was selected from the Educator of the Year honorees representing the district’s 11 schools and institutions.
In addition to his work in the classroom, Foster serves as head coach of the Cedartown High School boys’ tennis team.
Foster said the role of an educator extends beyond preparing students for tests and classroom assignments. He emphasized the importance of helping young people develop the skills and character they will need as they move into adulthood and eventually contribute to the community.
The district-level selection process included a panel made up of business and industry representatives, retired teachers and education professionals, as well as educators from other school systems.
The panel reviewed essays submitted by each school’s Educator of the Year and conducted personal interviews before selecting the district winner.
Polk School District Superintendent Mark Lumpkin praised all of this year’s honorees for going beyond their basic classroom responsibilities to support students.
Lumpkin said the educators recognized this year have demonstrated a willingness to provide students with both academic instruction and the additional guidance and encouragement needed to help them become successful students and productive members of the community.
Foster will represent Polk School District in the next level of Georgia’s Teacher of the Year recognition process.
The 2026-2027 Educators of the Year for the other Polk School District schools are: Maria Gray, Cedartown High School; Kristi Golden, Cherokee Elementary School; Lauren King, Eastside Elementary School; Kristen Cuddyer, Northside Elementary School; Randall McDowell, Polk County College and Career Academy; Randi Slye, Rockmart High School; Chandler Gray, Rockmart Middle School; Kendra Brumbelow, Van Wert Elementary School; Lauren Carter, Westside Elementary School; and Matt Bentley, Youngs Grove Elementary School.
