Excellent Educators is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the last academic year. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions. Congratulations to these educators for all of their hard work and accomplishments!


Name: Barbara Brinker

Division: Newport News Public Schools

Position: Reading specialist at Newsome Park Elementary School

What the school division said about this Excellent Educator: Barbara Brinker is a reading specialist with 33 years of experience in education. She believes that there is nothing more important than teaching children how to read. Brinker works with first and second graders and says that the early grades are “where the magic happens” as students become readers.

She is a supportive coach and advocate for teachers in her school, offering model lessons, resources and assistance in integrating reading instruction across the curriculum.

She was selected as the NNPS Elementary School Teacher of the Year for 2022-2023.