Central Elementary School teacher, Ginger Payne, was recently selected as the campus 2021 Teacher of the Year. She is a 1981 graduate of Emerson High School and a 1990 graduate of Southern Arkansas University with a BSE degree in Elementary Education followed by a MEd Reading Specialist degree in 1995.
Ginger has spent her entire 30-year career teaching in Magnolia School District. In 1991, she began teaching Title 1 Math at Central with one section of seventh grade math at the Junior High. The next year, she moved to fourth grade, where she has taught since 1992. She has served as grade-level chair and fourth grade literacy chair. Over the years, Ginger has mentored more than a dozen SAU student teachers serving as their supervising classroom teacher. She is proud that many of them are now colleagues successfully teaching in the Magnolia School District. Ginger is also a member of the Arkansas Education Association and the National Education Association. She currently serves on the sick-leave bank committee for Central.
Ginger has been married to her husband, Barry, for thirty-nine years. They have two daughters, Brittany Ayers and Bethany Ashford. Brittany is married to Mark Ayers and works for Dr. Daniel Beene as a dental assistant. Bethany is married to Michael Ashford and works in the engineering department at JCM Industries in Texarkana. Barry and Ginger have just recently become “Pops and Gigi” to their two grandchildren, MaKinlie and Grayson. The Paynes are members of Antioch Church of Christ in Shongaloo, Louisiana.
Ginger thinks fourth grade is the best grade to teach because 9- and 10-year-olds have a great sense of humor and love to learn. Apart from teaching, Ginger enjoys cooking, gardening, and decorating at home. She always looks forward to her two annual shopping trips to First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas, and her yearly beach trips with the girls.