Cabarrus County Schools has named Rachel Gillcrist of W.M. Irvin Elementary School as the district’s 2026-27 Teacher of the Year.

Gillcrist is a second-grade teacher finishing her fifth year in education. At W.M. Irvin Elementary, she teaches English literacy and math in the school’s dual-language program, while her partner teacher teaches science and social studies in Spanish to the same students. Before moving to second grade, Gillcrist also taught third and fifth grade.

Gillcrist was selected from a group of five finalists for the districtwide honor. The other finalists included Joshua Trujillo of Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College High School, Leah Cameron of Cox Mill High School, Lindsey Kiral of Hickory Ridge Middle School, and Elliott Young of Hickory Ridge High School.

“I would say that I am incredibly honored, humbled, and grateful to represent our great county and an incredible community of educators who inspire, support, and believe in our students wholeheartedly,” Gillcrist said.

Gillcrist earned her degree in Elementary Education from University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was recognized during college through the NC Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi.

“I look forward to showing up for our students and our teachers and to put our students at the center of every decision, every lesson, and every opportunity that comes my way,” Gillcrist said.

“Being Teacher of the Year is a reminder to me of why I chose this profession; that the most meaningful part of this work is building strong relationships with our students and their families, supporting and celebrating their growth, and helping every student in every school in our county feel seen, valued, and capable of success.”