Tammy Deaton, Beebe High School's Advanced Placement Coordinator and G.T. Director, was named the recipient of the 2024 AGATE Challenge Award this morning, January 25th! This is an incredible honor for Ms. Deaton! Dr. Karla Tarkington, Director of Human Resources and Federal & Categorical Programs for the Beebe School District, notified Ms. Deaton, in front of many AP Students at Beebe High School and AP and GT Staff throughout the Beebe School District, that she is the recipient of this award, and will officially be presented the award during the annual AGATE Conference in February!
The purpose of this award is to honor and recognize a person who risked taking an unusual (creative, difference, innovative) step in a direction most people would probably not think of or consider. The AGATE Awards Committee presents one award per year.
Ms. Deaton has been employed by the Beebe School District for twenty five years with the majority of those years being focused on serving the needs of our gifted and talented (GT) students. During her time as a GT teacher and now as the GT and AP Coordinator, Ms. Deaton has implemented an acceleration policy in the district, improved the identification process, and worked to provide social and emotional programming for secondary students. Ms. Deaton oversees the Arkansas Governor’s School applications and consistently sends students each summer. The Beebe Public School District has been awarded the ACT 56 Award twice, both of which Ms. Deaton was an integral part of the work in helping the district earn this prestigious honor. Most recently, in this climate of staff shortages and financial belt-tightening, Ms. Deaton secured an additional full time GT position at the Early Childhood Building where kindergarten and first-grade students enjoy an enrichment STEM Lab.
Ms. Deaton successfully changed the honor grad policy which increased academic rigor by requiring students to take more honors and AP courses. She has increased the AP and Honors offerings and secured funds to annually pay AP teachers for after-hours student study sessions throughout the year. Her efforts have resulted in an increase of qualifying AP scores and consistent numbers of students being named as AP Scholars each year.
Ms. Deaton is not only concerned with her GT students and AP teachers but is a valuable resource to staff and students and is willing to help out wherever necessary to improve the culture of each school and the district as a whole. Many times, one can find her counseling students about AP courses or just about life in general. She always strives to ensure the goals of the GT/AP program align with the goals of the district.
Ms. Deaton is passionate about gifted students and their needs. She has a great work ethic, is a team player and is a problem solver. Personally, I know Ms. Deaton to be loyal, honest, and a person of integrity. Ms. Deaton has devoted many years of service to the staff and students of Beebe Public Schools. She has not only implemented improvements in the GT and AP programs but she has consistently maintained the highest level of student and staff performance year after year.
Beebe High School and the Beebe School District would like to congratulate Ms. Tammy Deaton on this incredible achievement!
