All seven of Germantown's 2026-27 school Teachers of the Year got $5,000 each from Kent and Janice Ritchey. The $35,000 gift was presented at the Oct. 27 school board meeting.
Every school-level Teacher of the Year in Germantown Municipal School District has received a $5,000 gift. Kent and Janice Ritchey of Landers Ford Collierville gave $35,000 in all to the seven teachers.
The district announced the gifts in a GMSD news post on the Ritchey gift. It said they were presented at the Board of Education meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the district office, 3350 Forest Hill Irene Road.
The seven teachers
The 2026-27 school-level Teachers of the Year, as the district listed them:
| School | Teacher of the Year |
|---|---|
| Dogwood Elementary School | McKenzie Stafford |
| Farmington Elementary School | Caryn Daugherty |
| Forest Hill Elementary School | Courtney Berggren |
| Riverdale School (elementary) | Kipp Lawton |
| Riverdale School (middle) | Dana Eckenoff |
| Houston Middle School | TJ Timmerman |
| Houston High School | Nicole Chrestman |
The district said the Ritcheys expanded their support this year to recognize every school-level honoree.
Why he gives
Kent Ritchey is 83 and grew up in Blytheville, Arkansas, the district said. He credits a sixth-grade teacher who took him to the town’s Carnegie Library and asked the librarian to find books he could connect with. One was “The Swiss Family Robinson.” He told the district he has not gone a day without reading since.
“I wanted to have an impact,” he said of choosing $5,000 instead of a smaller amount.
“I want this to be a recognition of their excellence in their craft,” Ritchey said. He also said, “I think public education sets a tone in the entire community.”
His message to every teacher in the district was short: “You make a difference every day.”
Landers Ford is in Collierville, about five miles east of Germantown. The district said Ritchey’s automotive businesses operate across Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.
What it means for you
- If your child has one of these seven teachers, the honor is the school’s pick for 2026-27.
- The district’s school board meets at the district office on Forest Hill Irene Road. Meeting dates and recordings are on our Germantown schools guide.
- Each school’s principal, report card and calendar are on our Germantown public schools page.
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