Tranelle Pollard, lead school counselor at Dogwood Middle School, has been selected as the Richmond Public Schools 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Superintendent Jason Kamras, RPS School Board Chair Stephanie Rizzi, RPS Board member Jonathan Young, and Principal Christopher Jacobs shared the news with Ms. Pollard at a surprise school assembly on Wednesday.

“Educators are the lifeblood of our schools and are here to teach with love and make a difference in the lives of students,” said RPS School Board Chair Stephanie Rizzi. “Counselors, nurses, instructional coaches, and social workers all play a vital role in shaping our students and helping to prepare them for the future.”

Born and raised in Highland Park on the city’s Northside, Ms. Pollard is a product of Richmond Public Schools. She attended Overby-Sheppard Elementary School, Binford Middle School, and Thomas Jefferson High School; it was at Overby-Sheppard that Ms. Pollard met several influential teachers who instilled in her a love of teaching and learning.

In 1999, Ms. Pollard graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School with an Advanced Studies Diploma. She received a full academic scholarship to St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, VA, and in May of 2004, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.

She began her teaching career at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School as a sixth grade science teacher. During that first year, Ms. Pollard knew instantly that her love and life’s mission was to pour into her students and to be the voice for students across the division. Students thrived under her lead as a teacher, with her eighth grade science class receiving a 95% pass rate on the SOL.

As a classroom teacher, students always felt comfortable talking to Ms. Pollard about their problems, but it was the tragic loss of a beloved student that encouraged her to explore school counseling. Her students needed a trusted educator to support their needs beyond the classroom.

Ms. Pollard experienced the loss of three students during her time as a middle school teacher, and it was those loses that would forever change her life. She wanted to devote her time listening to and advocating for students without interruptions.

In December 2010, Ms. Pollard master’s degree in education and counselor education with honors from Virginia State University. In August 2012, she became a middle school counselor at Dogwood Middle School (formerly Binford Middle School).

Colleagues describe Ms. Pollard as someone who creates a loving, supportive environment that is felt throughout Dogwood Middle School. “Her greatest contribution is the authentic connections she has developed with her students and the impact she has had in their development,” reads an announcement about her latest achievement.

“Middle school is a particular period in life that is difficult,” said Dogwood’s Principal Christopher Jacobs. “Ms. Pollard helps our scholars work through adversity, providing them with life experiences and stories to navigate these formative years.”

Each year, RPS selects a division-wide Teacher of the Year from a pool of nominees representing every RPS school. Ms. Pollard will now go on to represent RPS in the Region 1 Regional Teacher of the Year contest facilitated by the Virginia Department of Education.