Lake Joy Elementary’s Jade Thomas named finalist for 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year
Jade Thomas has been named a finalist for the 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year, the Georgia Department of Education announced.
WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A fourth-grade teacher at Lake Joy Elementary is one of the top 10 educators in the state.
Jade Thomas has been named a finalist for the 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year, the Georgia Department of Education announced.
Throughout March, State School Superintendent Richard Woods personally surprised each of the 10 finalists in their classrooms to share the news. The winner will be announced in May after a panel of judges conducts interviews and listens to speeches from each educator.
Thomas teaches fourth-grade English language arts and social studies and is known for creating a classroom environment where students feel welcomed, loved and supported.
“It’s everything,” Thomas said. “I get to inspire and influence students, and just seeing their smiling faces greeting me at the door every morning means so much. The days where I’m like, ‘I’m going to be out Friday,’ or ‘I’m going to be sick tomorrow’—the kids are like, ‘What? Where are you going?’ That impact means, okay, they do love me, and I love them back.”
Thomas is also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and co-founded the school’s Military Kids Club, which supports military children by providing a safe space for connection, fun, and skill-building, especially during deployments.
She says building community in the classroom is just as important as teaching.
“Building a classroom community and a classroom family is everything to me,” Thomas said. “I want my kids to be excited. I want my kids to feel trusting. When they’re having a bad day, they know I’m here to lift them right back up. And it’s just great to see how close we get over the school year. The last day of school is so hard for me because I’m a big baby. It’s emotional because we get so close. We build bonds, so I know that’s a great impact I’m leaving on them.”
When her students move on, Thomas hopes they carry her love for the profession with them.
“I hope that’s something they carry on into the careers they choose,” she said. “And truly love what they do. So, when they graduate high school and whatever path they take, I hope they remember how much I loved this job and how much they should love what they do.”
Katlyn Klug, who also teaches fourth grade at Lake Joy Elementary, was named the school’s 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year. She says Thomas has had a major influence on students and staff.
“Some students don’t have loving, caring families at home,” Klug said. “So, when they come here, we try and be that person for them. And Mrs. Thomas, she is that person for a lot of her students. They know that they are loved and cared for when they come to her classroom every day, so it’s very important for them to feel that.”
The winner of the 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year competition will be announced this May and will go on to serve as an ambassador for public education across the state, as well as a contestant in the national Teacher of the Year competition.
