Rotary Club honors Wynbrooke Traditional Theme School principal with Educator of the Year award


The Rotary Club of Stone Mountain (RCSM) named Wynbrooke Traditional Theme School principal Jermain E. Sumler-Faison, Ed.D., as its 2019-2020 Educator of the Year.

RCSM announced in a press release that Sumler-Faison was honored as one of nine top DeKalb County educators—one from each of the member clubs of the DeKalb Rotary Council. Sumler-Faison has worked for DeKalb County School District for 22 years and served as principal of Wynbrooke for eight years.

“It has been my pleasure to partner with the Rotary Club and observe first hand the impact the organization has made in the ‘Student Mountain’ community,” Sumler-Faison said. “Their dedication to academic excellence and service to others mirrors the expectations we have for our students, faculty and community stakeholders. I am thankful that our boys and girls have been the most important beneficiary of the Rotary Club’s continuous support of Wynbrooke Traditional Theme School.”

It was Sumler-Faison’s support of the rotary club’s education initiatives with Wynbrooke that earned her the Educator of the Year award, according to the club. She has worked with club members on a number of programs, including:

  • The Dictionary Project, a national program that distributes dictionaries to third-grade students across the nation. RCSM distributes 1,000 dictionaries each year to third-graders in Stone Mountain elementary schools, including Wynbrooke.
  • Rotary Career Day, where RCSM members visit the school and talk about their careers and how education factored into their success.
  • Read Across America Day
  • Soda Straw Rocket/STEM Day, where RCSM member Gene Fleeman conducted student workshops on how to build a working rocket using a soda straw as a basic element. The workshop emphasizes the importance of STEM education, and introduces students to elements of aerodynamics, physics, chemistry, math, and propulsion dynamics.

Under Sumler-Faison’s leadership, Wynbrooke has achieved the highest proficiency test scores in the Stone Mountain area.

“RCSM’s dedication to education is made easier by educators like Dr. Sumler-Faison,” said Lizbeth Dison, president of RCSM. “She has always welcomed our members into the school halls, and worked along with us on programs that benefited her students. We are honored to recognize her with this award—it is well-deserved.”