Excellent Educators is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the last academic year. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions. Congratulations to these educators for all of their hard work and accomplishments!
Name: Michelle Dana
Division: Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
Position: Civics and economics teacher at Toano Middle School
What the school division said about this Excellent Educator: Michelle Dana has been an educator at Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools for seven years and is a mentor for new teachers. She was honored as the division’s 2023 middle school level Teacher of the Year.
Dana prides herself in creating an inviting environment for students and building solid relationships with all students so they feel cared about and encouraged. She wants students to feel comfortable knowing the classroom is a place to try something new, learn from mistakes, and be successful. Not only does Dana build trust and rapport with students, but she also encourages collaboration with all who are involved in a student’s education. Her goal is to teach students to work together to find meaningful and enriching connections in her classroom.
