Mrs. Diane Welch has been named the 2009 Teacher of the Year at Jones-Wheat Elementary. She previously worked at Southwestern State Hospital in Thomasville in the Medical Records Department and as a Medical Transcriptionist for several years as she worked and attended college at Thomas University and Valdosta State University.  She earned an Associate of Arts degree at Thomas University and then transferred to Valdosta State University where received aa Bachelors Degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 1998. In 1999, she received her Masters Degree in Education in Speech-Language Pathology.

She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology as well as a Georgia License to practice Speech-Language Pathology in the State of Georgia.

Mrs. Welch began my career as a Speech-Language Pathologist in 2000, and have been employed with Decatur County Schools since 2001.

Her  family consists of her husband Bruce to whom she has been married for 15 years, and her three children whom she describes as her greatest joy. Her daughter, Gayla Prince, resides near Gainesville, Georgia and is a practicing Physical Therapist in Flowery Branch, Georgia, a division of Lanier Therapy of Gainesville, Georgia. She has two sons, Cole Prince who is employed as a Fireman in Grady County and who is also employed with Thomasville Airport Aviation Maintenance and Repair, and Gerren Prince who is self-employed as an Agriculture Pilot and involved in the farming industry. 

Mrs. Welch's  hobbies are flower gardening and garden architecture, sewing, and keeping her Cocker Spaniel, Dollie, occupied. The faculty and staff of Jones-Wheat salute Mrs. Welch for a job well done!