HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A teacher with the Henrico County Public Schools is one of eight finalists for Virginia Teacher of the Year.
Gregory Lyndaker, an advanced placement psychology teacher at Henrico High School, was named the Region I Virginia Teacher of the Year Thursday.
Coworkers said Lyndaker goes above and beyond to make the classroom a place of creativity.
“I don’t think there’s anything that I do that’s much different,” Lyndaker said. “I’m just big about forming relationships with my students, as many as I can, even those I don’t have in my class. Just providing a space for them, somebody they can talk to and be with.”
Lyndaker is the advisor for the school newspaper and also coaches the school's soccer team.
“It’s amazing,” Lyndaker said. “I always enjoy sports and it’s almost like this is one of those things that pushes you to the next level. You start getting named a top teacher – or in any profession or area – you want to up your game, you want to make yourself better.”
Lyndaker, who joined the faculty in 2013, was also Henrico High's teacher of the year for the 2018/2019 school year.
Additionally, Lyndaker previously taught at a middle school in upstate New York and at the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls.
Region 1, which stretches from Goochland to Sussex, includes 15 counties and cities in Central Virginia.
One of the eight regional winners will be chosen as Virginia's 2020 teacher of the year Oct. 7 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
The commonwealth’s winner will represent the state in the National Teacher of the Year awards.
