Macon County Schools recently announced the teachers and support staff of the year. The county’s teacher of the year goes to Katy Huscusson, a middle school teacher at Mountain View Intermediate, while the county’s support staff of the year is Sunshine Windsor, a counselor at Union Academy. Nantahala School’s principal, Andy Pyle, is the county’s principal of the year.
On the Highlands front, Brian Aulisio was named as teacher of the year with April Getz recognized as the support staff of the year.
Aulisio is a high school math teacher who has been at Highlands School for 15 years. Getz is the school’s library media coordinator and has been with the school for three years. Getz previously taught in the Charlotte area.
As library media coordinator, Getz said she supports students and faculty in using instructional technology, runs the media center, and teaches students about literature and how to be “effective users of digital information.” Getz also teaches classes, but to be nominated for Teacher of the Year, one must teach 70 percent of the time.
Getz said she landed in Highlands as her husband was finishing up a three-year active duty stint as commander of an Air National Guard unit in Virginia Beach. Her husband had the option to work from home with his civilian job, meaning the two didn’t need to return to Charlotte. Getz said they had owned a vacation home in Franklin for years and loved Highlands.
“I was very excited to see that the media coordinator position here was opening up due to a retirement. It was a case of perfect timing,” Getz said.
Getz said it was very humbling to be named Support Person of the Year, despite not being at Highlands long.
“It made me feel like I was succeeding at my job because my job is literally to support teachers and students and make sure they have the resources they need and know how to use them,” Getz said. She also praised the rest of the faculty at Highlands School, saying in any given year, they all deserve awards.
Aulisio spent summer excursions with the Boy Scouts in Macon County as early as 1992. He said the scouts would head to property near Franklin to embark on a 100-mile hike along the Appalachian Trail. During this time, he fell in love with the area and decided he would one day live here.
In 2008, while he and his wife were traveling to Maine, he was informed his application had been pulled and he was invited to schedule an interview. He interviewed, and was offered the job in Highlands, two days later.
Aulisio said each individual must define success for themselves, but it is the duty of teachers to instill fundamental values necessary for success into students.
“Respect and empathy for all people, no matter their social or economic status, is the paramount value I hope all of my students come away with,” Aulisio said.
He also hopes his math courses help students understand how “patience and logical thought will help them effectively tackle the inevitable challenges they will face in life.”
His main goal at Highlands is to provide a relaxing, respectful, and positive environment to help students navigate through mathematics. He hopes to facilitate a fusion of mathematics and art education.
As for being selected teacher of the year, he expressed sentiments similar to Getz regarding the work of all at Highlands School.
“I can only accept this award on behalf of all administration, faculty and staff, and all community members that graciously grant their love and commitment to all of our public school students,” Aulisio said.