Elizabeth Ancone, recognized as Lexington District One‘s Teacher of the Year for the 2025-2026 academic year, initially aspired to a career as an occupational therapist specializing in children with disabilities. Her undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina was in exercise science, with an emphasis in motor development. Ancone’s involvement in USC’s perceptual motor development lab for children with disabilities drew consistent positive feedback from students and parents and kindled a passion in her to pursue teaching. She earned her Master of Arts degree in teaching in special education from the College of Charleston in 2003 and began her career as a teacher.
Although Ancone is not practicing as a therapist, many of her current classroom practices still incorporate elements of occupational therapy, such as instruction in handwriting, adapting the classroom environment for accessibility, and accommodating the diverse needs of her students.
Having dedicated 22-1/2 years to teaching, Ancone has accumulated extensive experience across various educational levels. Prior to joining Lexington One, she taught elementary, middle, and high school students within the Saluda, Richland One, and Newberry school districts. At Deerfield Elementary School in Lexington, Ancone teaches self-contained special education students across the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades; her students remain in her classroom for a three-year period.
Ancone expresses deep admiration and respect for her classroom paraprofessionals, emphasizing their indispensable role. She states that without the support of a quality team, even the most innovative teaching ideas would be unfeasible to implement. The effectiveness of the classroom relies on the team’s collective effort, consistency, and shared understanding, which directly impacts student learning and development.
Ancone’s commitment to her students is described as inspirational, and she actively embraces challenges when students are deemed incapable of achieving certain tasks. She proves doubters wrong by demonstrating her students’ capabilities and successes. Known as “MacGyver” for her problem-solving skills, Ancone excels at finding solutions for obstacles. Her ultimate goal is to provide her students and their families with opportunities for a fulfilling life, enabling them to grow, achieve goals, join society, secure employment, or live independently in settings like group homes.
Ancone identifies a significant challenge facing education today: the difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified teachers in classrooms. She offers advice to aspiring young teachers, suggesting options for engagement with students with disabilities, such as participating in South Carolina’s Unified and Special Olympics programs or as student leaders or peer buddies. She strongly recommends that students interested in teaching gain early exposure to the classroom environment. She promotes taking advantage of high school teacher cadet programs and actively seeking opportunities to spend time in classrooms, whether through volunteer work or valuable teacher education programs, to foster a realistic understanding of the teaching profession.
When she’s not teaching, Ancone enjoys traveling, gardening, spending time at the beach, and reading. She also practices yoga. She will compete at the state’s annual conference in November for the title of South Carolina Teacher of the Year. She is also a board member of the district’s charity arm, the LEAP Foundation. And she adds, “In a few short years, I’ll be reaching retirement age, which I guess will include more travel.” In November, she celebrates 21 years of marriage to Kris. The couple has a 14-year-old daughter, Kaylee, a 20-year-old son, Kristopher, a dog named Cooper, and a cat named Buttons.