October 2023 Educator of the Month

Superintendent, Ms. Tammy Chavis, is pleased to announce that Mr. Rod Fuller, Challenge teacher at Brookville Elementary School, has been selected as October’s “Educator of the Month.”

Mr. Fuller has been teaching for the Franklin County Community Schools for 25 years, 15 of those years in Challenge. Prior to his overall 31 years experience in the classroom, Rod received his Bachelor of Science from Ball State University.

Mr. Fuller was nominated for this honor by a parent and a former student. When asked why Rod should be considered for this recognition, they responded, “Mr. Fuller has a caring, unique, and humorous personality that makes transitioning to Challenge as smooth as possible. He recognizes each of his students’ needs whether it is a snack to focus, encouraging words, or noticing who is having trouble with a particular subject matter. Mr. Fuller handles each need with grace and patience without embarrassment or distraction to the class. Mr. Fuller has been a teacher for two out of three of my children and I can definitely see the benefits from that. My 6th grader was told that he received top scores on his state testing this year and I credit a lot of that to Mr. Fuller’s classroom. He also inspired my middle school student to continue student council participation, which Mr. Fuller sponsored at BES. My son is hopeful it is just as much fun as it was under Mr. Fuller’s leadership. My 4th grader has come home with similar excitement for school as he did when he started kindergarten. He is telling me daily something he learned or something interesting that’s coming up. I really appreciate Mr. Fuller’s positivity and his approach to connect with his students, who have a very wide variety of personalities and interests. I am very thankful for Mr. Fuller and the impact he has had on our family.”

In addition to educating children, Rod is involved in several community organizations such as the First United Methodist Church and the National Association for Gifted Children. He has also served two terms on the Fayette County Library Board. When free time allows it, Rod enjoys reading mysteries, traveling to Disney World with family, and shopping for and collecting antiques.

When asked what he loves most about his job, Mr. Fuller responded, “The best part of teaching Challenge is working with the same students for multiple years. This gives me the opportunity to form a deeper connection with each student. I have a passion for working with high ability students and feel lucky that Franklin County Schools has a program that meets those students at their level. It is exciting to see their growth over the years as they progress through the program.”
The purpose of the “Educator of the Month” program is to recognize outstanding Franklin County educators who demonstrate excellence in the classroom, leadership in the school, dedication to the students, and involvement in the community. Nomination forms for “Educator of the Month” can be found on the school corporation website at www.fccsc.k12.in.us.