Anne Brown District Teacher of the Year

Royal Live Oaks Academy’s Anne Brown has been named the Charter Institute at Erskine 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year.

Brown was one of nine finalists from schools across the Palmetto state up for the award. Brown was crowned at a
luncheon on August 3 at the Capital City Club in Columbia.

The finalists included: Felicia Butler (Coastal Leadership Academy); Cassandra Eckstorm (Cyber Academy of South Carolina- High School), Porsche Foxworth (Mevers School of Excellence); Edith Gamble (Midlands STEM Institute); Kristin Kerns (Cyber Academy of South Carolina- Elementary); Tracy Ruetterman (Odyssey Online Learning); Sherri Whitlock (Cyber Academy of South Carolina- Middle); and Michelle Wilson (Calhoun Falls Charter School).

“It is a true honor and privilege to be named Charter Institute at Erskine Teacher of the Year,” Brown told the crowd after receiving the award. “Mother Teresa said it well, ‘In this life, we cannot do great things. We can only do little things with great love. Intense love does not measure. It just gives.’ I am blessed to serve such amazing children.”

Brown received a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a master’s degree from the College of Staten Island. She has over 50 years of experience in the classroom and has served as a special education teacher at Royal Live Oaks for the past three years. As part of her initiative to continue developing innovative programs at Royal Live Oaks Academy, Brown created the Tail Waggers Who Brighten our Day program. Service dogs are brought in to spend time with Brown’s students who read stories to the dogs.

“This is such a wonderful recognition for such a special lady who clearly deserved it,” said Royal Live Oaks Academy principal Dr. Karen Wicks. “When I think about her approach to working with children, and how she truly embodies every child should taste success, it’s wonderful to think she’ll represent the Institute as well as Royal Live Oaks at the state level.”

180-year-old Erskine College established the Charter Institute at Erskine in mid-2017, to improve education in public charter schools across the state of South Carolina. The Institute currently serves as the Sponsor for 13 schools with an additional seven schools currently scheduled to open in the fall of 2019. For more information, please visit www.erskinecharters.org.