Dr. Chelsea Tanous

I’m absolutely floored that I was chosen to represent Davidson High School as Teacher of the Year for 2026.

This is my fifth year teaching high school, and it’s exactly as challenging a profession as you would imagine, if not more so. During my first year, every work day was an intense strain to my cognitive, emotional, psychological, social, and physical well-being. I faced demands with no achievable solutions, challenges with no clear pathways, students with no intrinsic motivation. I cried. I reconsidered many my life choices.

And I kept going, because I wanted these students to love French as much as my college students had, and as much as I do. I knew I could catch on if given enough time to re-calibrate.

However, it would have been absolutely unbearable if not for those around me during those first few years. The staff and other teachers at Davidson uplifted and supported me as I figured out what kind of teacher I wanted to be and how I wanted to reach the kids who showed up every day in my classroom. I would not have had the capacity for this position if I hadn’t been supported and uplifted by those around me.

So yes, being chosen as Teacher of the Year is an honor I don’t take lightly. What I know for certain is that I didn’t get here alone! A few specific thanks are very much in order.

To Sarah, who was the first person to make me feel genuinely welcome, thank you for your friendship and for always being a steady presence when I have questions.

To Ashley, my supervisor and advisor in so many ways, thank you for your guidance, your belief in me, and your unwavering support. Davidson and the IB Program are lucky to have you.

To Rosa, Jelena, and Anne, serving as department chair is only as manageable as the people around you make it, and you three have made it a pleasure. Thank you for being such wonderful colleagues and for making our World Language department a place I’m proud to lead.

To Courtney, who kept me grounded and reminded me that balance matters, thank you for the perspective that made sustainability possible.

To Lydia, whose kindness and enthusiasm are things I genuinely aspire to bring into my own classroom every day, thank you for being such a beautiful model of what it looks like to lead with warmth.

To Mike, my hallway neighbor and fellow Francophile, thank you for helping me settle in and feel at home on the science hall, and for making the day-to-day feel a little less daunting.

To Chris, who stepped in during one of my harder moments and helped me navigate my observation duties with grace (and without tears), thank you for your patience and your advice.

To the Davidson administration and staff, who kept me smiling and helped me find my footing with the administrative side of things, thank you for making the building feel like a place I belonged.

And to Alexa, thank you for doing the behind-the-scenes work that never appears on an evaluation: keeping my brain happy enough to show up for all of it.