A square promotional graphic set against a white and light grey background featuring a portrait of Cody Smith, a male teacher wearing glasses and a red t-shirt printed with the Dalton High School Catamount mascot logo. JPG On the left side, bold red typography reads "Teacher of the YEAR" overlaying elegant black cursive text for "of the". A solid red banner underneath displays the hashtag "#CATAMOUNTS" in white text. Across the bottom right, large white text reads "SMITH" layered over cursive red text spelling out "Cody," with "Dalton High School" printed directly below. A black bar across the bottom left corner holds the white Dalton Public Schools logo

Cody Smith Named Dalton High School 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year

Ashley Grycz

October 7, 2026

Dalton Public Schools is proud to announce that Cody Smith has been named Dalton High School's 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year.

Smith teaches English to 10th and 11th graders at Dalton High School, including AP Language and Composition, AP Seminar, American Literature, and Journalism, and sponsors Student Council. He began his teaching career in 2019 at Dalton Middle School before moving to Dalton High School in 2020. Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Dalton State College, earned in 2019.

Smith said he didn't originally set out to become a teacher. The idea came from a college professor who noticed his writing and engagement in class and asked him a question that changed the direction of his life.

"He told me he admired my writing, appreciated the way I engaged in discussions, and had noticed that I still hadn't declared a major. Then he asked a simple question that changed the course of my life: 'Have you ever thought about becoming a teacher?'"

That conversation led Smith to volunteer with Whitfield County's Power Lunch Program, an experience he said changed him.

"I discovered that teaching was never really about standing in front of a classroom. It was about building relationships, creating opportunities, and helping young people believe in themselves."

Smith said he measures his success not by test scores, but by the students whose relationship with reading and writing changed under his instruction.

"I think about the students who began the year telling me they hated reading but ended it asking me for book recommendations. I think about the quiet student who found enough confidence to speak during a class discussion for the first time."

In his classroom, Smith works to help students see that mistakes are part of learning, not evidence that they can't succeed.

"I set high expectations, but I pair those expectations with patience, encouragement, honest feedback, and the support students need to reach them. I never want a student to confuse needing help with being unable to succeed."

For more than four years, Smith has sponsored Student Council, encouraging students to look beyond the walls of the school and understand that leadership is an act of service. He has also spent two summers teaching through Whitfield County's PowerLunch program.

"I remain committed to serving my community because I want young people to know that they are valued—and that they, in turn, have something valuable to offer others."

Dalton Public Schools congratulates Cody Smith on being named Dalton High School's 2025–2026 Teacher of the Year and thanks him for the dedication he shows to students each day.