After an incredible 37-year teaching career—36 of those right here in Leeds—Mrs. Leasha Phillips is retiring as one of the most beloved and impactful educators our community has ever known. Mrs. Phillips was announced as the Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year on Thursday, May 15, at the Chamber’s monthly luncheon and was presented with a check for $500. The Teacher of the Year Award was sponsored by Heidelberg Materials. The luncheon was held at First Baptist Church Leeds and was sponsored by Great Beginnings Learning Center LLC.

While she once dreamed of being an opera singer, Leasha’s true calling revealed itself through the “fascination of the learning process.” She’s spent decades shaping little minds in kindergarten, watching with joy as her students grew from tentative learners to bright-eyed readers. What will she miss the most? “The lightbulb moments. The love of reading. The growth from August to May.”
Her favorite classroom story? In her second or third year, a student named Billy Hill had finally earned her trust. She asked him to take books to the library…only to get a call that Billy had walked to the public library—because she didn’t specify which one!

From navigating the transition when Leeds City Schools became its own system, to weathering snowstorms (literally—Superintendent Dr. John Moore once personally drove her and other teachers to their cars during “Snowmageddon”), Leasha has seen it all with grace, wisdom, and a deep love for her students.

Dr. Moore said it best: “With today’s teacher shortage, we’re lucky to have nine applicants for one position when we used to have 400. Teaching has to be in your heart. And with Leasha, you never had to worry about kindergarten. She had it covered.”

The Chamber thanks First Baptist Church Leeds for hosting the luncheon, Mary Beth Lochridge of Leeds City Schools for conducting the interview with Mrs. Phillips at the luncheon, the First Methodist Church Ladies for serving the food, and Wilson Beasley, our chamber diplomat, for assisting at the luncheon.

Shown in the group photos:
Amy Lee – Executive Director, Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce; Casey Parsons – Guild Mortgage; Leasha Phillips – Leeds City Schools; Steve Karr – Chamber Board President, Leeds Arts Council; and Steven Weems – First Baptist Church Leeds

School group. Steven Porter, Principal; Mary Beth Lochridge, Family and Community Engagement; Burke Wren, Director of Elementary Education and Federal Programs; and Leasha Phillips, all from Leeds City Schools; Steve Karr – Chamber Board President, Leeds Arts Council; and John Moore, Superintendent, Leeds City Schools