Social Circle native Taylor Moody went from aspiring lawyer to inspiring educator. For those who know the 2025 Newton County School System ‘Teacher of the Year’ best, her impact resonates far beyond the classroom.
Taylor Moody never expected to become a teacher, let alone be honored as the 2025 “Teacher of the Year” for the Newton County School System.
Moody, a literature teacher at Newton College and Career Academy, began her teaching journey in 2020, but her path to the classroom was anything but traditional. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a lawyer, and she initially pursued that goal by majoring in math during her first two years of college, aiming for a career in real estate law. However, fate had other plans, and her ambitions took an unexpected turn.
“I got really sick and had to stay home while traveling to school,” Moody said. “I was on a treatment plan and struggled a lot with reading and writing. I had to work with several tutors, but over time, I developed a real passion for literacy and for helping others strengthen their literacy skills.”
Her own personal struggles sparked a genuine passion for education, paving the way for her journey into teaching.
“You never truly know the difference you’re making in someone’s life.”
Taylor Moody
During her first student-teaching experience, Moody faced an unimaginable tragedy—losing two of her students to suicide within just two weeks. The profound loss left her questioning whether she was truly ready for the realities of teaching. No college course had prepared her for the weight of such loss, and she found herself wondering if she had the grit to continue. Her education taught her how to be an English teacher, but “there are so many realities once you enter the classroom.” She quickly realized that education extended far beyond academics; it was about nurturing, guiding and supporting students through their struggles. Moody began to understand that being a teacher meant wearing many different hats—mentor, counselor and advocate—each just as important as the lessons she taught in the classroom. Just as she was navigating these doubts, the coronavirus pandemic abruptly ended her in-person student teaching experience.
“‘Is this really what I’m meant to do?’” Moody recalled asking herself. “Then it hit me. Yes, I want to show up for my students. I want to be their support system, their motivation, not just an English teacher but a mentor. Whatever they need, whatever void they feel, I want to help fill it.”
Moody began her first year of teaching in a virtual classroom, guiding high school sophomores and seniors over Zoom. With her student teaching experience cut short, transitioning straight into online learning proved challenging. She struggled with the isolation of remote teaching, feeling limited in her ability to collaborate with colleagues as much as she had hoped. Despite the challenges of keeping students engaged in a virtual classroom, Moody began receiving small but powerful messages on Zoom—notes of gratitude from students thanking her for checking in on them. Those messages became a source of encouragement, reminding her of her greater purpose as an educator.
“I started to realize just how important the social and emotional side of teaching is—something that often gets overlooked,” Moody said. “I saw that I could uplift my students in ways beyond academics, and that became a vital part of my classroom.”
A Social Circle native, Moody’s passion for teaching goes beyond traditional literature teaching methods. She strives to create meaningful, real-world connections in her lessons. By integrating real-world applications into her curriculum, she exposes students to various disciplines in collaboration with other teachers. This dynamic approach not only enhances their learning experience but also keeps them engaged and prepared for whatever path they choose to pursue. Her efforts have garnered widespread adulation. In February, Moody was also named a Star Teacher for Newton County.
“A Star Student gets to pick you, and then he, the star student who picked me, had the highest SAT score, and he had to get up in front of everyone and tell them why he picked me.” In his speech, the student shared that Moody was the one who believed in him when he struggled to believe in himself. He credited her with giving him the courage to push beyond his comfort zone and strive for more. “And now he’s going off. I mean, he was a Star Student, and now he’s going off to do aerospace, and I’m just a little ELA teacher over here, just because I thought, ‘Hey, you’re good at this. You should do this,’” Moody said. “He finally built enough courage and confidence in himself. It’s just so much more than teaching him how to pass a test or reading a play out loud in class.”
Moody continues to call Social Circle home, where she lives with her husband and their 2-year-old daughter. Interestingly enough, her journey to the Newton County School System was sparked by a neighbor who was not only a fellow educator but also a former “Teacher of the Year.” The encouragement led Moody to apply for a position at Newton College and Career Academy. Five years after she taught her first class, one particular message still hangs on her wall—a letter from a student that continues to reaffirm her purpose.
“She wrote, ‘Thank you for believing in me when nobody else did. I wouldn’t be here without you,’” Moody said. “That note serves as a constant reminder that I am exactly where I’m meant to be. On the hardest days, when I feel overwhelmed, I look at it and remember the impact a teacher can have. You never truly know the difference you’re making in someone’s life.”
Click here to read more stories by Wendy Rodriguez.
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